It seems like there's been an awful lot of posts going around lately of people giving up on dating due to the current dating market. This is one of those posts.
I (30M) am at my wits end. I've been dating since June 2024 and been on more dates than I can remember. There have been a lot of first dates that never progressed, talking stages that dwindled, "situationships", and a handful of connections that could have lead to a potential relationships but never ended up happening.
The most recent girl I was dating for a little over a month ended things with me a couple of days ago and I feel pretty blindsided. This is making me want to give up on dating altogether now because I thought this was gonna go somewhere. The thing that sucks most is she showed genuine interest, spends all night with me, told me she likes me and wants to see where this could go. The very next day, she sends me a text telling me she doesn't see a long-term connection and wants to just be friends. How does that even happen?
It seems that no matter how many women I date, how strong of a connection we build, the length of time we've been seeing each other, it's always the same result: disappointment.
At this point, I'm exhausted. I don't think I have it in me to date anymore. Getting to know someone all over again is draining. Excitement always leading to disappointment is really taking a toll. Has anyone else felt this way and if so, how did you manage? What are some things you did to help reset so you were able to get back out there and not have your time wasted? How did you shift your thinking around dating so you're less likely to be disappointed with better outcomes?
I already deleted all my dating profiles and I'm not sure how long I'll be taking a break for. I plan on focusing on my career goals, fitness goals, hobbies, and inner circle of friends. What doesn't help is the fact that I know I chase female validation, which might be the reason why I'm so devastated when connections end because it feels like an attack on my character and not because we're incompatible. I'm starting to feel like like there isn't anyone out there for me. If that is truly the case, then so be it. But god damn just take away my desire to feel loved.
If you relate to this or have been in a similar situation, advice would be appreciated.