1 hour

What do mean by "should"? That implies you're coming from standard base. By who's standard?
There is no base. There is no should. There are no rules. It's a completely individual choice.

Don’t.

5 minutes to a lifetime

If you don’t respect yourself then others are not likely to either.

Mmmm, nothing more attractive to a potential partner than self pity.

Does it really matter? Sex is an important element in somatic and emotional health in the long term. In short term? It can be months or years and still be o.k. if you're o.k. with it.

I am no longer a smoker but imagine your hand as a puppet smoking a cigarette afterwards. Put some eyes between that thumb and forefinger and it works out just fine.

Never give up ever!

I gave up giving up when i was 13 and had my first O. There's no going back now!

I think I can relate to this feeling of desperation. However, IMHO sex should never be the objective.

I see a lot of responses here that I think have some wisdom and some ... maybe not.

One person says "Give up" and things will get better. I think that's right. There is an old saying, "The worse you want something, the worse you will get it.". No matter the topic, I've found that to be true.

Some say "Hire a professional.". So long as exploitation by others is not involved, I don't see any reason to say this should not be allowed. But for me personally, I think it would be like tying a treat around my neck to get the dog to play with me, or like paying someone to play with me. I just don't think it is something I would enjoy like I want to, not to mention the degrading subtext I send to my sub-conscience.

So, yep, just give up! Find something else that brings you joy, at least for now.

Not sure what you mean by giving up, so I'll presume you're talking about any sexual encounter between two people which does not involve a direct exchange of money for sexual services.

I'd say if your not having any luck finding a partner, when you get to the point where the thought of physical contact with another human being involving sex takes up your every waking moment (and many of your dreams), not allowing you to successfully and smoothly navigate all other aspects of your life, then go ahead and procure the services of a pro.

And I wouldn't consider that giving up by any means. It's just taking a non-traditional avenue towards having your needs met. We procure the services of others to have our needs met every single day. None of us can be good at everything in life. Finding sex partners is no different. Some are good at it. Some aren't. For those who aren't, there are people who provide physical intimacy and sexual services as a means of generating income.

That depends. If you are talking about a sexless relationship, then don't waste your time. You will be told anything to keep you but promises will not be kept. Hope will keep you from moving forward so move on instead.
If you're not in a relationship and just haven't had any in a while, don't give up. Giving up doesn't solve that problem.

Giving up what..finding a hooker, finding a floozie, or finding a combatible life companion? If you want to find someone good you have to put yourself out there..ask women out, join meet ups that do activities you enjoy, etc.
Maybe you'll even meet someone here.

By the way, this website has a bit of a learning curve.

For members who are open to dating, certain thumbnails and profiles have a heart symbol on them with a percentage. This identifies which members are open to dating, and the percent shows approximately how compatible others are with them.

You can improve your website score in general by answering all the profile questions and writing a bio, which also earns website points, and helps other members get to know you.

Commenting on posts and writing your own posts earns more points. At level two you can private message people, and at level eight you get an agnostic T-shirt.

If you want to date, the website uses profile algorithms to find member matches, so the more details one includes, the better the match.

Many people prefer to see a written profile talking about interests, hobbies, and backgrounds that can be quickly perused to find others who are compatible with them.

In case you didn't know yet, to find members near you, click on the "Browse" button at the top of the page, then on "Members," and enter your preferred search parameters.
Click on the "Discuss" button, then "Nearby" to find members near you also.
Or click on the "About" button at the top left of the page to find links to FAQ or the website tutorial.
Points are now being given to level 3+ members who chat. You can see chat rooms on the group main page or at [agnostic.com].

I went a few years. I've resigned myself to my sexless fate.