Looking for love in all the wrong places [dating advice]

At first I only read your original post and the top comment; I wanted to be certain I didn't repeat too much of what had already been said by the most popular respondent.

Now, a little later, I've gone over the whole thing and read your responses. I've read what's been said to you and I've read what you've said in response (as of the time of writing). From what I've read I have the impression that it wouldn't be productive for you to look for advice from peers (including /r/askgaybros). I recommend the CBT, simple meditation, and general self-improvement I mentioned earlier even more adamantly - along with a little light exercise, if you don't do that already, since it's an excellent mood and health booster anyway. If you can afford it or if it is offered gratis by your university I'd suggest a few sessions of professional opinion as well to jump-start your independent efforts; an expert can provide you with a few ideas you might not have considered.

In your responses here you've been keen, overall, to interpret unpleasant advice and unpleasant reactions as a personal attack. You've also dismissed the neutral, sensible advice as 'pretty standard stuff'. Both of these together suggest that, as far as this thread is concerned, you're a) aware that there's something wrong going on but b) don't recognize that your behaviors and attitudes are the problem and c) are unwilling to address or change these behaviors and attitudes because you dismiss them as the source of the problem in point b). If your behavior in this thread is indicative of how you face criticism and freely-given advice in the real world, then this is an important part of the problem that you should address first - that is, you need to come to understand that the problem is an internal one, not an external one.

As I said before in my original comment, I don't think that you're a bad person. Everyone's the well-meaning hero of his own story. But it's plain as day to me, an objective and well-meaning outsider, that the problem you're facing is a mental and emotional one. You need to reflect on your attitudes and behaviors and you need to change them.

It isn't that you need help on how to find a boyfriend, it's that you need help on how to find the version of yourself that deserves one.

/r/askgaybros Thread Parent