Never struggled with looks, or attracting anyone, there were girls in middle school "my friend wants to go out with you", "when you want to do stuff with me" didn't even know what to with the attention, I was still like running with my boys.
anyway, point is, was 18, in jail/halfway house/rehab until I was 21, and when I came out, any sense of self esteem/self ID was totally changed. I had to build it all up, bit by bit, and that's where you really find a sense of self/self esteem/self ID, that's not built on validation from others, or alcohol, or whatever.
And when you have true confidence, that comes from knowing yourself, and what you want, respect for others, once you don't NEED others for (unhealthy) validation, you will detach from the concept of needing a girlfriend, needing to have sex, to prove something to yourself, needing your friends to validate you.