Experiencing nature and solitude can be powerfully healing.

Zen mediators I think would see your thought experience differently. That it is actually your own thoughts that are poisoning your own mind and crushing your soul. 

How so? It's normal for most people to have discriminating thoughts when a thought pops into their minds - judgements - I like/dislike this. This is good/bad. This is right/wrong. These judgements cause associated pleasant/unpleasant feelings - which in turn create more judgements/feelings. And so it goes on. 
(Do you notice the judgements/feelings you having about what you have read thus far?) 

That is why you experience happiness when you're away from those people who cause those thoughts to come. No people - no thoughts.

Therefore, a key goal of meditation is actually breaking free of, or creating distance between these judgements and your conscious peaceful mind, or self (thoughts are just something you experience rather than being a fundamental part of who you are). 

After a while, often many years of daily training (ie, meditation), when you start to experience these thoughts/feelings, you can quickly stop holding on to them and just ignore them. (but it doesn't take years, you can experience benefits within a few weeks of daily practise).

A good analogy is that of sitting under a waterfall. We all start by experiencing a constant bombardment of thoughts/feelings crashing down on our heads. Meditation allows you to step out from under the waterfall and sit quietly on the riverbank to just watch them pass you by.

Proponents of Zen, Zen Masters, maintain that through mediation, one can become master of one's own mind. And it becomes the way of life.

But in the meantime, as you have found, minimizing the amount of time in contexts that set your mind off, ie, with normies, is likely to be very beneficial.

(PS. how meditate? Sit comfortably, eyes closed, focus on the rise and fall of the stomach. Count each breath up to 10 then start from the beginning again. When you realize your mind has wandered, which it invariably will, gently return to counting the breath. 

How's your math? Do you think you can count 10 breaths?! If you can. Excellent! Keep going. O)

Once you get the hang of it you can do it anywhere and everywhere - walking in the forest, counting you steps, would be great!)