Could it be both? I fell into that scene when I was about 19. It's clear in retrospect that I needed somewhere to belong. Joining a church provided instant community. It also kept me out of jail when my friends turned to crime. It took a while for me to see the toxicity beneath the surface.
I was in my 30s when it began to fall apart in my mind. I gained distance and objectivity, I got an education, and events in my life taught me - finally! - to trust my own judgement. Let me tell you: Disillusionment can be devastating. But in my case, it ultimately freed my mind.
I often wonder who and what I would be today if I had taken the path of least resistance by simply carrying on. That may be the point at which the environment turned me into a truly horrible human.