Dating and intimate relationships.

Hi, I am wondering how single people here are coping with having psych issues and dating, socializing and sexual/intimate relationships. I'll give mine as an example.

I'm 54, never married, had a few short term relationships in my 20s but two things happened and all my social relationships died till to this day. First I suffered constant panic attacks, lost my job and then just as I was getting back to some level of coping my dad suffered his first stroke and I stopped to take care of him for the next 20 years. I also raised my sister's two kids...long story. Anyway, I'm hetero, female but men scare me, relationships scare me cause let's face it, I have a habit of being a rescuer, so it's best to stay away from relationships and also was sexually abused as a child. Still, all the same desires that other women have are there, need for love, caring, intimacy, sex, fun, friendship, etc. It becomes one huge mess when I try to step out of this cage I'm in. An ad came on my facebook link for a dating site, so I thought why not. A guy responded. I freaked and cancelled my account. Yeah, I'm a whimp. I had a panic attack. I am fine with guys, I don't even mind flirting but if they show interest, I literally freeze...ptsd type of freeze. So yeah, I read a lot...lol...lot's of science books...really good scores, lol. Not sure how I am going to get around my fears and I expect to be alone and lonely for the rest of my life.

If you have a story of your own problems in this or ways you coped or changed, that would be good to share.