I'm an extremely introverted person and I've never had any long-term trustworthy friends. Not only that, I've never been hugged, or been shown any affection, and that includes family members. I've faced significant abuse throughout my entire life, and I deeply need a real human connection. What can I do to solve this problem? Having a romantic relationship would also be nice, but seeing as I've never even had the bare minimum, a friendship seems to be the place to start.
I have read several books and I have similar patterns of you, being closed to relationships outside this forum, in the "real world". I can try to relate my personal experience to be of help.
If you have been abused, this most likely lead to PTSD and other emotional and psychological problem. Relationships are the worst problem for abused people - I have been able to live a decent life and have success in various areas, except relationships.
What I perceive from you, is you feel insignificant and of no value. That is the consequence of not receiving love, as you say. Unloved children grow with the carved idea that they are not worth of love, because nobody ever shown them how to give and receive love. So they think they are of no value, as nobody loves them. The result is you don't love yourself, and you block all your actions to build a relationship because you think you are not worth this.
And the most important is, that if you have been abused and unloved, all of this is NOT your fault, but the offender's fault. Ever.
If you are Dedicated, I suggest to ask for guidance of a Demon to heal, as it's very personal and different for everyone, and some physical actions are needed.
Most of this pain is stored in the heart chakra - the Wunjo rune used on daily basis helped a lot to feel better.
Also
Healing emotional body meditation.
Talking to a sort of "inner yourself", like a wounded children you once were, is one of the keys to access your emotional wounds and heal them. Once you find this mind area, you can start healing. If your assigned Demon will drive you to a life experience when you feel loved, as if you were a child, this may probably unlock a blockage. At least this worked for me.
