Without social support or financial stability one may be in a form of acidic turmoil. It's important to feel connected and important, that you add to peoples lives socially and community wise as well as for yourself. The people in my small group including myself have pre-cancer skin conditions it seems. It is a physical wake up call. It happened with a rapid change in situation with less work and lost faith in builders. Each of of here has our unique and interconnected social self. Much stress comes from financial woes. So when work is precarious and builders are working with tight budgets you can feel constricted.
Same with work goes with friendships with others. If the group around you is anti-social at base then you will not find relevant help for your personal and interpersonal needs. It's best to have your standards for relationships. It takes time to get to know someone and if communication is difficult it may be best not to have an attachment. Centre the relationship where it counts and that's not just small talk. Tangible hope, tangible help is someone who can at least make a simple acknowledgement of who you are, in experience, in situation and not treated as an external boxed in roll that replaces the individual with a label.
In the meantime the culture can be isolating. If everyone is droned and going by the book, what they read in the paper, and on t.v. they may not be able to recognize or acknowledge your true individuality and experience. Being aware of this can be alienating. What I try to do is interpret the cultural signs and signals from the outside and sort of hum my own message in a mimicked like tune. I wont sing their songs but I know how to arrange the notes, kinda idea. Speak someone elses language without being captured by language. Say back what was said in a way they never heard before.
For me I know what it's like to feel dogged and under the gun. Don't want the bastards to get me down. I'm not responsible for the state of the culture but I gotta bloody right to say. I may not be fully responsible for even my own situation but I must know what my maneuverability is within it. I may need some hints. Even people being mean or indifferent can be important hints even if it's not the help you need. So then it goes for your attitude towards the whole situation too. Luckily I have a good small group and some outside acquaintances who are helpful from time to time. We do have some surface conditions too. We need to take extra care at this point.
At times I do get worked up and feel isolated and uptight. I have anger attacks and panic attacks sometimes daily when it gets bad. I have to make sure I get out even in winter. I don't have much money so sometimes do some Tai Chi or go for a walk. The worst is cabin fever and feeling there is nowhere to go or don't know how to better your situation much. I think as long as you don't give up on your core dreams, you will be alright. Giving into the whims of culture can be seen as giving up for me. I couldn't handle thinking life is just getting a job or having cheap thrills. I feel a battle at those locked into those perspectives. And because I was born into this culture too I picked up some of their bad habits.
I want to be more free and not so burdened. Yet I am grateful for the challenge too. I never give up. Just don't want any stress emotions to be detrimental to my health. Must continue to express and be social where and when I can.