@polywannapartner, I hear you. Sometimes it's painful to want something so badly and there's no sign of it in sight. I've been dating for two and a half years, both genders, and so far, I've had heartbreak, flings, friends, and fuckbuddies, countless lame dates, and a few crushes that came to nothing. I've got like 5 people in my phone right now who will come to me when I call, but none of them are serious contenders.
Like you, I'm struggling with negative thoughts as I step out of a marriage to pursue a life which allows for multiple partners. Sometimes I wonder if I'm crazy. My husband and I had a lot of issues (not just the poly/mono thing) but he loved me and he was HERE.
On the other hand, I see quite a few of my monogamous friends struggling too. Some of them are divorced single mothers, some are in their
30's and have never married. I know a few people who are truly happy being single and just hooking up whenever it suits them. Then there are the happy couples: some are monogamous, some are swingers. I only know a few people IRL who identify as poly, and honestly, they don't seem any better or worse off than everyone else. A know a poly couple who just had a baby together, and then my ex who used "poly" as an excuse to eschew anything serious.
If I truly examine my own choices, I have to admit that I was often just as lonely when I was in a monogamous marriage as I feel now, possibly at times more so.
My advice: If you feel like you're being used for sex and fun, you need to reset your boundaries and choose not to engage with anyone who doesn't seem serious about you. Granted, sometimes people tell you what you want to hear to get you into bed, but usually, you can figure out pretty early on what someone is offering you. Then you just need to behave in alignment with what you want. If you want to be poly, don't get deeply involved with someone who eventually wants a monogamous relationship. If you want a serious partnership, don't mess with someone whose clearly not cut out for that.
I wish you the best of luck!