<human>: Condense the text into a few key points

I am a 22 year old guy. Never been in a romantic relationship. Furthest I have ever got with a girl was in 8th grade summer, where a girl kissed me a few times.

I have recently come to terms with the thought that all my depression (and whatever other mental illnesses I think I may have) stem directly from lack of a romantic relationship.

(And before anybody comments saying that previous statement IS my problem... trust me... I know. Please refrain from telling me to work on myself, as I have been doing this for several years... I am a drastically improved person compared to how I was 4 years ago.)

Any chance I have ever had with a girl, and even the prospect of dating scares me. I don't get how something I can want so badly can be this scary. My mind is seeming to work against my happiness. I no longer want to be afraid of phsyical intimacy, sex, or communicating my feelings openly. I don't want to live alone, or die alone.

I am a pretty sociable guy for the most part. And somehow, I am AMAZING at getting along with the my friends girlfriends... but whenever I am pursuing an interest for myself, I just can't seem to be myself.

I have this one friend who I have been considering asking out for a while now... but any time I get close to doing it, I can just never get the words out. Even with the belief I have that love cannot happen unless you are willing to have your heart broken, I still can't do it. I think I am more afraid of getting a "yes" than a "no".

I feel incredibly foolish having to post this to a bunch of Internet strangers... but I don't really know where else to turn. I have been called a pussy by who I consider to be my best friend when I brought this up with him. I hope that doesn't happen here.
<bot>: how do I get over this mental block? I am unable to act on my feelings and the prospect of intimacy and relationships scare me... but yet it is still the #1 thing in life I want the