I got off all my meds after being on them for over ten years.
The withdrawl success rate was less than 5 percent.  I needed
to win the battle so I could live a life care-free from these
pills that caused me great health issues.  I rode my bike
all day and night for about a week, never stopping for more
than a half hour, no sleep.  It was the craziest thing, I would
go out in the snow at 3:30am after taking just a short break,
and ride shirtless in the blizzzard at the bus station, which
was lit up at night.  With everything spinning in my head, only
flatland made sense to me.  The progression came and taught
me where I need to be.  Everything in my world was flipped
upside down since that decision to get off my meds.  But I
am doing fine and will never go back on them.  I, unlinke you,
choose a life of solitary, and I struggle to get close to people.
Most of the time, I escape civilization to ride on my bike.
But the reason I say this, is because you gotta do what you
gotta do, and if leaving your friends forever is what you gotta
do to get clean, then do it.  If you really decide that it's what
you want, WHICH IT REALLY SOUNDS LIKE, then your gonna
have to just do it.  Don't be afraid brother.  Life is full of changes.
Things change all the time.  Remember when Nathan Penonzek
killed everyone at every contest!  Elvis!  Everything changes.
Priorities change.  Do it.  Remember however bad it is or get's
that that'll mean it'll feel SOOO much better when it finally get's
good again.  Remember that everything is relative.  You quitting
your habbit is going to put you in an uncomfortable place and it's
gonna be chitty for a while, but when it's over, and your free of it,
imagine how happy you will be; to have faught the good fight, to
have made the right decision, and to have come out on top.
Just be a warrior in the jungle, figuratively, never give up.  It's
just like riding flatland, if you want it, it's there, just do it, and
don't give up.  If not, well you know you tried your very best.
Don't die for the cause.  Just try your best without pushing death.
I think you can do that.  One other thing that'll help yuuo is to
remember that your doing good, no matter what, remember the pain is a good pain cuz it's with the better life than before and if you want
it bad enough, you'll get it.  If your having a real
bad time, call a friend who understand and talk with them.  Ask them what is
good about you.  You will be surprised at how easy it
is for people who, unlike yourself, arn't in esxtreme situations can find goodness in every day life.  You will find goodness too one day, when your brain recovers.  You can do it, DEFFINIETLY>Y!!!!  If you want it..  You got it.

I recently quit smoking. If being healthy is more important, sounds like you should worry less about ditching your friends if all they do is chain smoke and play video games. Make new friends that don't smoke!

I don't know if it's true for everyone, but in my life there's always been a give and take. If you remove something (like smoking) you need to 'fill the gap' with something else or it won't work. Riding is a good exchange.

Percy.. Those were some nice words. You're really good.

Anyway, good luck, man! Just don't worry about your decision, you gonna do it sooner or later.

something tells me I will be having to go thru this soon..