NEED HELP!!!

So I got this huge problem bugging me, it worries me alot because it could potentially cause serious problems for my band, I love my band and the guys are like brothers, so I'm really worried.

So yeah, the problem is my guitarist, I love the guy to death but he is pure and simple in a rut, he has actually been this way for a while but up until recently he was content so no one ever said anything, well now he's not content and is gettin increasingly uncontent.

A little about my guitarist, he's 20 years old, has a grade 10 education - he is partly to blame, but some of the blame can deffinately be passes onto the system, he's a very smart kid, but sometimes doesn't get stuff, unfortunately his school, which is coincidently my school, likes to pass kids like this off as losers and kick them out asap. He has no job as a result of not being done highschool, no license as a result of not having a job. He's what some would call the typical "loser".

Well I see something very different, everything the kid does do, he does 150%. He is willing to learn, he is willing to work, he is willing to try, unfortunately his self esteem is so low that he can't get anywhere. He try's to get new gear but never can, he tries to spend time with his girlfriend who lived in another town, when he does he can't afford to do anything special with her. I'm good friends with his girlfriend as well, she's crazy about him but I can see that there are lots of problems in their relationship.

So anyways, it seems like right now he's just sinking lower and lower, and it worries me, when I look at the kid, I don't see any of the things others see. When he does do stuff, he puts in a 150% effort, he's passionate about the things he does have and he does everything possible to keep them. Lately though, he just seems to not care, he gets pissed of real easy, gives up real easy, and basically does nothing all day.

He does have one major talent, he is a great craftsman and has built several really nice guitars, I've been really encouraging him lately to start building guitars and selling them to get on his feet, but then he just starts naming off why it wouldn't work. I really care about him and want him to do something with himself, but don't know what I can do to get him to try.

Anyone got any input?

 

I considered offering to lend him some money, but at this point I gotta start saving for college and what not.

Kicking him in ass is a good idea though

 

That's the story, I see it happen all the time, at one point last year the VP walked into one of my classes with some papers and said anyone over 18 that is failing is to sign these papers and never come back.

 

He's thought about the whole GED thing, he's actually still eligable to take correspondance and get his actual diploma, right now he's so low that he isn't willing to try, just assumes that he'll fail. Gotta get him out of it I guess.

 

His girlfriend and I just talked about it, we're gonna wait a few weeks and see if he cheers up, then we're gonna try to do something about it.