Sorry if this has been covered but I haven't found it in my searching on this sub.

I've been very interested in philosophy lately due to a faith transition. As my post history shows, I've gone to Buddhism, then to Stoicism, then waffled between them both. I've since become interested in epicureanism.

The common factor in my searching is that I come down to a few final hangups that keep me from fully embracing a philosophy.

For epicureanism it's the selfish aspect. I realize virtue is important in this philosophy, but IMO if I follow Epicurus to his logical conclusions then if I'm in a situation where it's me versus someone else for resources, pleasure, or survival, I should look out for number one.

I realize that last scenario is extremely unlikely but you get the idea.

Epicureanism also doesn't seem to allow for being involved in improving society. As long as my needs are met, why should I care about anyone outside my family and circle of friends, according to epicureanism? There doesn't seem to be a place for sacrificing time or resources for something outside my "garden."

Is my only choice to live something that uses aspects of this philosophy but isn't really epicureanism anymore, or have I misunderstood?

Edit: Thank you for the comments. The guidance I received plus delving deeper into the original writings has helped me realize I may have been short-sighted in my interpretation. At the very least, I think Epicureanism pairs well with humanism, which I'm also interested in.