Do some people simply NEED their escapes and/or medications?

[ZenAlex]

I used to talk to a girl online who had severe PTSD after suffering from something truly awful.

She states she can never allow herself too much time without a distraction/escape or just something to pre-occupy her mind with, because the worst starts when she has too much time alone to be with her mind.

She has done tonnes of therapy and tried meditation etc and she states she really can't bring herself to try again because it's so painful it overwhelms her.

I usually think that one should deal with their issues head on because that's the only way, but are some people so far gone that they simply need to keep their mind pre-occupied and themselves doped up?

She specifically plans her day to have something to pre-occupy her mind, exercises every day with music on and tires herself out at night so she's so exhausted she goes to sleep quick enough to avoid thought.

Her whole life surrounds avoiding the silence. This is the exact opposite of what most people on here would suggest, but would you ever consider something like this if dealing with it the right way would just be too painful?

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I also recently watched an episode of the UK TV show "Peaky blinders", and the main character Tommy took a break from work and this is pretty much the best example I could give of what I believe she talked about. The main character, with no business/work to lose himself in, was a complete wreck when he had no distractions/worries to focus on and almost had a breakdown when flashbacks of the war came back to him.

Edited March 16, 2020 by ZenAlex

[Epiphany_Inspired]

@ZenAlex from my own growth experiences: distraction and escape always equates to stagnation and eventual festering rot.... where as, actually feeling your feelings, and dealing with your shit (although you may hit rock bottom first/ mental breakdowns etc) will eventually lead to movement and growth...

Also, one cannot serve the universe in distraction/ escape modes... so, there is very little purpose/  point in experiencing life that way...

when I have been in breif relationships with men, and they see me on the verge of a mental breakdown, they immediately suggest distractions and escape, when I refuse those, I have the freedom to battle myself and enjoy both my own victory and defeat; like infinite & unending-beanstalk-poppies sprouting on the battlefield...

In essence, I would rather be "a complete wreck", bruised and filthy clambering slowly out of the pit to the contentment of the sunlight above, than a useless fuck that hides in the corner of the pit pretending they are at disneyland all day...

But, I cant sleep... i write weird random shit, and I can be a hypocrite at times...