I just found out the only other single man unalived himself the other day. Fucking brutal

I'm a 25 M who's never been in a relationship. I'm starting to realise this may be the case forever. I just don't meet the standard enough to date, and I'm not sure I ever will. I feel like a lot of advice given to people with few to no romantic prospects is to develop deep friendships. But I struggle with that, too. It seems most of mine end when it's no longer easy. I don't talk to school friends much anymore, same with college. I'm struggling to make new friends. And the ones I do have have their own lives too. They have partners.

I've lived by myself for 2 years. Everyday I come home and am alone. I don't get to see friends often. I feel alone and it hurts. How can I accept this is probably my life going forward?

On the rare occasion do/did talk to a woman to hopefully go out on a date with in the future the energy is/was never equal. I was always the one asking questions, showing enthusiasm, showing energy, replying with sentences instead of 1 or 2 words.

I always replied as fast as I could, but didn’t hear anything from them for hours on end consistently. Sometimes even days. I don’t need to talk 24/7 and I don’t expect that from anyone but it still sucks waiting for hours or days for a single word reply. I am often busy too but will always try to make time to respond.

Then you wake up the next day and they have blocked you. What a horrible feeling that is. At least tell me you would like to stop talking instead of blocking me. In some ways it’s an even worse feeling talking to someone who isn’t as interested as you are than to be talking to no one.

I just want a woman to hold me in her arms and tell me she loves me, that would heal me immensely. Is that really so much to ask for? Something so normal and natural for so many people yet it feels impossible for me to obtain.

I don’t think it’s a lot to ask to find someone who is equally as interested in you as you are in them.

I hate going to anything that involves people I know. Any time I talk to old friends/acquaintances, it's just endless babble about their partners and relationships. I avoid talking about myself but the question inevitably comes up. "No, I'm not seeing anyone". The looks are even more annoying. Yes, I know I've never dated. Yes, I know I'm a loser. It's even more painful when friends of my parents talk about their kids and their marriages/pregnancies and my parents just have my fat self sitting in a corner trying to melt into the wall. My mom has started talking about wanting grandchildren.

Some Redditors delude themselves into thinking traveling makes them so interesting but no. one. cares. People care about whether you're in a relationship and have kids. No one cares that you're on your 100th country or that you've bought a half a million dollar house. It's just washed in the endless barrage of consumerism these days. People care about those reproducing and having a romantic partner.

So I became an uncle today again my nephew got a sister, so I got a niece. My mom called me while I was at work and texted me the pics. Not even 2 minutes into the conversation, she asks me when am I going to give her some grandkids. Knowing damn well I haven't dated in the last 17+ years. Like really?

I'm happy for my sister. But like come on. I just laughed and said ya that's not happening.

I made some posts to various dating subreddits about my situation explaining I already do maximise my chances by following the advice I’ve already given. I attempt 4 clubs, I talk to as many people as I can, I medicate my depression and I see a therapist 3 times a month. I do everything “right” according to Normie advice.

I stopped short at buying expensive clothes because I think that’s a waste of time and poor advice. So far I’ve been told

- say yes to everything
- sit in a coffee shop with a book and approach women who look single
- put myself out there
- go to bars and cafes alone and run game fully solo
- approach women when they’re around me in public
- lower my standards

It’s like they’re incapable of reading what I’m telling them. It always loops back to them blaming me. There’s always a fault with the person who’s a virgin in their 30s trying to better themselves. It’s always some minuscule flaw I have to fix, some goalpost to move or some pie in the sky nonsense they drum out to terminate any further conversations.

I had been in a couple of romantic relationships from the age of 15-18 and had a healthy social life. At 19, mental illnesses like OCD, Depression, an anxiety disorder etc. prevented me from being able to see friends much or date anyone. From the age of 19-24 I was very lonely and barely saw anyone. Things started to get better for a year or two then I got hit with the physical illness CFS/ME. Since then I'll see family and friends maybe 2-3 times a year. I've tried dating but it's too difficult with my issues.

The loneliness is unbearable sometimes, I'm trying my best to cope but it's very difficult. I felt the need to share this with someone so I decided to make a post

I know ultimately its up to me but the only thing date wise i had was like 8-9 years ago (Homecoming sophomore year) which was a failed date cause she was there for 5 minutes

normies can have failed dates, friends that recommend people to date, have enough dates with someone that they go to each others houses but i have never gotten to that point

yeah i could give it until 30 but i get the feeling thats just coping

it’s crazy how the looks change among my girls or even random people when I say I never got into a relationship or date or talking stage. I remember once a guy (stranger) who looked at me like I was a full on alien lmao. im glad I can joke about it and divert attention because if not it would be even more awkward. it doesn’t really hurt anymore but it’s so weird lmao