It's not all so perfectly binary this freedom that you mentioned. One can have a high-pressure job or one can live in a tent on the outskirts of society and feel free. Likewise one can feel stifling panic in the previously mentioned situations.
The secret is to find that environment in which you feel at your optimum or to create it depending on the current social climate.
Another secret is to consider your expectations. Are you hoping to make a lot of money doing nothing and that your friends will highly esteem you? If that's the case then you'll need a trustfund from rich elders.
Try to guess what your optimum work/resources/time balance is and aim for that doing what you are good at. If what you're good at isn't what you enjoy use your resources to retrain.
And try to find new friends. The current ones sound like useless jackasses.
;_;