Does anyone else feel physically affected by loneliness after being single for years
I've never shared this with anyone in my life. Not my friends, not my family.
The only reason I'm writing this here is because Reddit is one of the few places where I can be completely anonymous and not worry about people judging me or seeing me differently.
I'm a 28-year-old guy. I've never been in a relationship, but I wouldn't say I've never experienced love or heartbreak.
When I was in 12th grade, I fell deeply in love with a girl who never felt the same way. Those feelings stayed with me for nearly three years. It wasn't a relationship, but it changed me in ways I still struggle to explain. It taught me about hope, rejection, longing, acceptance, and letting go. I know some people might dismiss it because we never dated, but that experience shaped my understanding of love far more than most people realize. It was one of the hardest emotional chapters of my life.
Since then, there hasn't been a relationship, a situationship, or even someone I've come close to romantically.
For years, I convinced myself that love could wait. I focused on building my career, becoming financially stable, taking care of my responsibilities, improving myself, and becoming someone I'd be proud of.
I kept telling myself, "Once I get there, I'll be ready."
Today, I genuinely feel ready.
Not because I think a relationship will complete me, but because I want someone to build a life with. Someone to celebrate small wins with, support through difficult days, and grow alongside.
The problem is... I don't have that person.
Lately, the loneliness has started feeling physical. It's like something is eating me from the inside.
I come home after work, and there's no one waiting to ask, "How was your day?" No one to hug me when life feels overwhelming. No one to share my victories with, no matter how small. No one to comfort me when things fall apart.
And maybe the hardest part of all is realizing that I've spent years saving so much love for someone who hasn't entered my life yet. Sometimes I wonder where all of that love is supposed to go while I keep waiting.
People often say, "Enjoy being single," or "Love yourself first." I understand where that advice comes from, and I don't disagree with it. But I also don't think wanting companionship means I don't love myself.
I've spent years building my life, and I'm proud of how far I've come. But somewhere along the way, I realized that success doesn't replace having someone to share it with. A promotion feels different when there's no one excited to celebrate it with. A bad day feels heavier when there's no one to lean on.
Sometimes I wonder if anyone else has felt this, like you've built a good life, yet there's a quiet emptiness that achievements can't fill.
Has anyone here gone through something similar? If you eventually found your person, how did you deal with the waiting without letting loneliness slowly consume you?
I'd genuinely appreciate hearing your experiences.