Yes, I think you're spot on, here. It's especially helpful, I think, if the outside things can be social and socially reinforcing activities. In a lot of cases, it might be particularly helpful if the outside things you do include people who older than your high school peers, and don't live that same social pressure-cooker that high school is. Even a year or two of college can have a profound mellowing effect.

It may take some exploring to find the right group. For a while I was attending a class mostly populated by Eagle Scouts, learning PL1 programming. I gave that up after a disastrous date with one of the scouts. I found a D&D club that I went to sometimes, but never fully clicked. I eventually got a summer job that wasn't working for my Dad. If I were doing it again, now, I would probably have looked for an opportunity to volunteer at the SPCA or other animal charity.