I feel like the idea that women are otherworldly creatures instead of people and seeing someone being nice to their partner as "the man having tamed a female and convinced her to treat him well" has a lot to do with his problem.
I hate how much that is preserved socially, there's no good reason why that hasn't gone away at least a decade or two ago.
Anon imagining a giant, insurmountable gap between his life and his coworker's life is a huge part of the problem.
He has a job, goes to the gym and apparently he is able to experience emotions. Also, a seemingly well-adjusted person inviting him home immediately suggests he is able to make a good and trustworthy impression.
He can jump the gap easily, he just doesn't know it, so he's timidly staring to the other side and imagining what it must be like to live there.
If you think you're flawed, unattractive and unworthy of love, you can easily remain untouched way into your adult life, just by sabotaging yourself.
Anon's co-worker would probably be willing to try and help him, especially given that he was helping them. The social nature of humans is our low-key superpower.
To anyone who is in the position of anon, the task is simple, just spend time with them. Treat them like people, which is what they are, instead of something to be won or to be won over.
Mutual respect, common principles, and a spark is all that's really needed. Understand that while you may be interested, they might not be. Would you really want to be with someone who doesn't genuinely want to be with you? Probably not, so just keep going. You'll get that spark eventually and things will kick off. Until then, be a good person and treat everyone with respect.
The whole confidence game is a bit misleading too. Confidence comes from being proud of yourself, more than anything. If you're not proud of yourself, perhaps that's an area to improve. Do things that you'll be proud of, and become someone who is confident in the process. Understand that not everyone will be impressed by your achievements, and that's ok. It's not a competition.
Any person who will shame others for their interests probably aren't worth knowing.
If you have serious struggles with confidence and relationships, there's no shame in seeking help with the council of a friend or from a professional.
Can someone get me in contact with green text anon guy? I'm a licensed massage therapist, I'm a woman, my hobbies are working out and he likes working out too and it was so poignant how he responded to that massage and he appreciates women and massage and health and his reaction to being the sad lonely third wheel was so heartbreaking and he deserves love.
I have quite a bit of sympathy for this man. Never being loved or touched makes for a broken mind. As repugnant it is to say I'm relieved he turned his misery into self hatred rather than anger to those around him. Hopefully he will either find someone or ages out of the desire for romantic companionship thus ending his turmoil.
That's painful to read as I've been there. Hell I've even been there while in a relationship that was in troubled waters before. It's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel sometimes, but I promise it's there.
"Those who do not move, do not notice their chains."
This pain and shame is a universal experience for those who plan to make big changes in life, and I hope that poster who got a taste of freedom works his way loose of what burdens him. That shame, that perspective on women being so alien to him, that score keeping of virginity and touch. Shame is so unhelpful, and change is a natural element of human life. You can do it!