Turning 26 soon, only have one past relationship, and feeling overwhelmed by shame and a fear of being left behind in the dating scene. How do I address this?

Hi everyone. I’m looking for some perspective or advice on how to handle a lot of anxiety and shame I’ve been carrying about my dating life.

I’m (M) turning 26 soon, and it’s been almost two years since I was last with anyone. In total, I’ve only ever had one long-term relationship, and that’s the only person I’ve ever been intimate with.

Lately, the gap between my last relationship and now is making me feel incredibly insecure. I look around at people my age who seem so nonchalant about dating, hookups, and casual links. It feels like intimacy is just a means to an end for everyone else, whereas I’ve always wanted something long-term to actually build a life and a family with someone.

It's getting so draining that I've seriously considered forcing myself to participate in casual culture just to conform, get experience, and feel some sort of temporary validation…even though it goes entirely against what I actually want. I've even thought about lying about my past experience if asked, just to avoid scrutiny.

I'm concerned of a few things:

1. That having so little experience at 26 will be a red flag or a source of judgment for future partners.

2. That if I meet someone with a lot more experience, the connection will mean way more to me than it does to them, making it feel completely one-sided.

3. That a future partner will look at the two-year gap in my timeline and wonder what is wrong with me.

Has anyone else gone through a long dry spell or a lack of experience in their mid-20s? How do you stop comparing yourself to the casual dating culture and build confidence when you feel completely left behind?

Thanks for reading this ☺️