I'm 23 years old, and I don't have a friend of the opposite sex, let alone a girlfriend in the future. I think I am a failure. Do I have to be lonely forever?

Think too much? I think you may not be a simple emotional intelligence problem. You may be troubled by psychological stress. I used to think the same way as you. I never believed that denying myself would make me feel inferior. I think worrying about the behavior of the opposite sex is anxiety. I think I will fail. Lonely life and low self-esteem can lead to depression and social anxiety (feeling that you can't speak, including worrying about communicating with others, not knowing what to say, deliberately avoiding social interaction and alienating relationships). First of all, what pressure might you release? If you have no problem in other aspects, but you don't associate with the opposite sex, you need to improve your emotional intelligence and speaking ability, and then develop a good attitude, look at things optimistically and do things positively, then you can naturally associate with anyone, and you naturally won't worry about the opposite sex.

If you don't want to see a psychiatrist, you can buy some psychological books to read.

For example:

Cai Yongkang's way of speaking.

Master negative energy

You just think too much.

Good attitude, good personality and good habits.