PJSprog
<SNIP> . . .Does anyone here have any first-hand experience with this who might offer some guidance on how I can bring him back into the real world? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Tell your friend/acquaintance that FEAR is the biggest enemy; not natural disasters, bandits on the highways, civil unrest, natural disasters, or economic unrest. Aside from all the negative health effects of being in a state of hypervigilance at all times or have thoughts of "the-end" around the corner, it also destroys relationships. Everything in moderation. I'm not attempting to be trite here.
Enjoy the little things in life. Walks on the trails. Dinner with the family. Kid's basketball/baseball/soccer games. Go to church <or dance in a drum circle if he is so inclined>. Turn the freakin TV News off for a week. You get it...
I know what I'm talking about. I used to sleep with a loaded AK next to my bed.; carried everywhere - before it was legal in WI; an AK in the truck; guns stashed everywhere; had all kinds of prep stuff at home, in the truck, at the office; read the survivalist stuff; even seriously thought about joining a freakin' militia . . . This was 20 plus years ago BEFORE this prepper crap was in vogue!!!
As I get older and maybe just a tad smarter, I have seen that a person is only as strong as those around them. Sure, you need food, shelter, guns....etc..etc... but life don't mean a thing without family, friends, & community. Ask your friend/acquaintance if he thinks he can survive a catastrophe alone. Even if he could, how long before he goes completely insane?
Be prepared but also enjoy life while one is still able. All that prepping crap sucks away at life. Take it from someone who REALLY knows. Today is my 6 month anniversary for a quadruple heart bypass.
I hope your friend (and dude, he is a friend because you gave enough of a crap to post this to possibly help him) and some of the folks here think about some of this.