Lonliness- I can't stay silent anymore. I know people are going through same but will not talk about it.

Lately, loneliness has been seriously impacting my mental health. The constant lack of emotional and physical intimacy is messing with my head—it creates this deep craving for connection that often gets misdirected into excessive masturbation. It’s not really about the act itself, but the emptiness it tries (and fails) to fill. I’m curious—how are others dealing with this? Does anyone else feel stuck in this cycle, where emotional needs turn into physical habits? I’d really like to hear from both men and women (as one of my female friend also going through same, she cant be vocal from her account here or anywhere for obvious reasons) —feel free to reply here or DM if you're more comfortable. Let’s talk about it openly—no shame, just real conversation.