Sorry about this guy you knew. Ramadan can be a very depressing time because of the direct forcing and the fear of being caught. Also a lot of the things that people rely on to cope with living in their society are often affected by ramadan so it can really mess their shit up. Some people have it worse than others. I've heard for Sunnis they have "taraweeh" which is not the case for Shias.

A good solution for a person who has enough freedom and money would be to travel somewhere during the month. I myself am contemplating staying at a cheap hotel for a few days if things gets too shitty at home.

To me it's the worst time of the year, but I have it better than most people and I don't care about things like social life, dieting, etc. All the issues with my "accepting" parents resurface again. I don't really mind the fake-fasting or shift in routines, it's just everything else that comes with this month. At least this ramadan I don't have to go to an office every morning and fast due to the law.