I know I(24M) am just another voice to the choir here, but just trying to comprehend how people think. I originally was going to ask this about men, but I've seen enough promiscuous women walking around looking for hookups that I had to lump both.

I just... don't understand. Sex is an incredibly intimate, personal, and emotional act with an invested partner. Casual sex takes that lovely thing, and strips all the life and emotion out of it. It becomes lifeless and numb, and I can't see how anyone, male or female, can enjoy such a mind-numbing mockery of actual connection. I'm not trying to bash anyone, but I'm just so confused.

Only one time have I had a mindset where a casual fling sounded like a good idea, and it was during a horrible depression spike where my mind was so plauged with pain that it virtually shut off. Living like that was torture, and thinking about a hookup still sent my entire body screaming at itself to the point I got sick. I've thankfully recovered since, but it left me wondering if the only way people could justify having casual sex was to literally turn off their brain. Given how people seem to always be looking for it though, it seems they live like that, but the mere idea of living my life with that as a persistent mindset makes me shudder.

So I guess my question is more of a request if explanation. I wish to understand. I also am curious if living in a perpetual mental fog is the only way for people enjoy that.

For the women, I'm also confused on how you guys do it. I've been told time and time again that men, especially young men, stuck at sex, and yet I've seen and heard far too many stories of women seeking young men for hookups.

Any insight would be appreciated! Please know I'm not trying to pick fun at anyone, I just speak in terse language. You do what you like, that's fine, I just want to know the why.

Edit: grammer