On days when you feel down

I've been doing NoFap on and off for 7 months now, and I think what gets to me the most is honestly the loneliness. I fool myself into thinking I just want sex with some hot girl but deep down I just want emotional intimacy and a connection with someone. I dont really feel like I can be 100% honest about any of this with either my friends or family, and when it gets on top of me I can go from being generally fine to feeling absolutely worthless and alone. It seems like all the people I speak to IRL dont understand exactly what I want from life even if I spell it out for them, its like they either arent listening or I'm speaking a foreign language.

 

What gets to me about it is that it isnt even rational, its the feeling of being trapped in your own mind, knowing deep down that theres no real reason to feel bad but yet you still do.

 

Yeah I'm trying stay more positive and trying to not let it get to me. Today I started an online dating profile, which is something I wouldnt do when I was addicted to PMO, so even if it doesnt lead anywhere its progress.

 

My intention with online dating is more to practive interaction than it is to actively search out someone, I'm just talking to women on it casually about all sorts of stuff, even women I'm not all that interested in. My problem with IRL social interaction is all about the introduction, I know forcing myself to talk to strangers online is not at all the same as in real life, but nonetheless as long as I dont take it too seriously its good practice. I can also only check the site on my laptop which I dont use all that much, so theres that.

 

https://www.nofap.com/forum/index.php?threads/yeah-online-dating-isnt-for-me.120577/ I've started a new thread talking about why I wont be pursuing online dating after doing some serious reflection about it. What you said had an impact so thanks for the advice, although that wasnt the main reason I stopped so quickly it still got me thinking.

 

Since starting this thread I've tried to practice a more positive approach, on days when I feel lonely I spend my morning walk purging these emotions from my mind, then when I get back home I usually feel fine. Meditation is also really useful for stopping negative emotions overpowering you.