Loneliness.

Think of the lyrics to "People are Strange" by The Doors. I don't know if I could describe it better in my own words.

People are strange when you're a stranger Faces look ugly when you're alone Women seem wicked when you're unwanted Streets are uneven when you're down

I appreciate the efforts by those that do try to help, but it just doesn't scratch the itch. You can be in the middle of a crowded place and get unjustifiably envious and angry at all the couples or families or friends you see. What gives them the right to have so much fun with another person while you're struggling just to feel like a member of the human race? Maybe somebody does show you some affection but now you've played the loner so long you assume they're trying to take advantage of you in some way. After a while you basically accept the fact that something is most likely wrong with you, not everyone else.

And being a man only makes things worse. If you try to confide in somebody you usually get a stock response to "man up!" or something along those lines. Then there's the insults that always get a cheap laugh at your expense. After all, only a loser that can't get laid gets lonely. Not to mention dating is an uphill battle filled with millions of unwritten rules...come on too strong and you're a creep, too weak and you're not confident enough to bother with. The sweet spot can be razor thin. You just feel like every move is the wrong one and each defeat weighs you down a little more.

The point I'm trying to get to is that people that have never gone through that part of life cannot truly empathize. They might even have normally great advice. However they won't understand that some part of you feels so isolated. Something is missing, that much you're sure of...but you just don't know exactly what it is.