Hey everyone, I’m a 25-year-old guy, and honestly, I’m posting this because I just feel incredibly alone and invisible right now. I wanted to reach out and see if anyone else experiences the world the way I do, because right now, I feel like I’m the only one. I approach relationships in what people might call a very old-fashioned way. For me, physical closeness and sex are things I only want when I’m actually in a committed relationship. But looking around me, it feels like everyone my age is strictly into situationships, casual hookups, or clinging to really toxic dynamics. Because I felt so isolated, I’ve tried to push myself to participate in hookup culture and casual dating. Every time I try, I either get this horrible, anxious feeling in my stomach because it’s not who I am, or it just flat-out doesn’t work out. It’s left me feeling like I’m completely undesirable and unattractive. I look at my friends and peers and feel like I’m massively falling behind in life. I feel this intense pressure that at 25, I should have a backlog of experiences or evidence to prove that I have sex appeal and that I’m someone people actually want. Instead, I have very little to draw from, and it makes me feel like I’m missing out on life. I have had 1 serious relationship that lasted 2.5 yrs when I was in university. I guess I’m asking: Is this something others have gone through and managed to navigate? Am I just not cut out for modern dating, or are there actually people out there who still value slow, meaningful connection over casual culture? Would love to hear from anyone who has felt this way, especially guys who managed to find their footing. ✌️ Thanks for reading. submitted by /u/More-Building1821
Originally posted by u/More-Building1821 on r/AskMen