Wrestling with the idea of being demisexual after years of casual dating

For most of my adult life, I've been pretty casual about dating and haven't really thought much about labels. Recently, though, I realized I only ever feel attracted to someone once I really know them emotionally. This was super confusing because I used to think attraction was instantaneous for me. I tried dating apps and casual meetups again, but I just don’t feel that spark unless there’s a deeper connection. I came across the term 'demisexual' and it kind of fits, but I've been hesitant to fully embrace it because it feels like a big shift in how I understand myself. Also, I've noticed my friends don’t really understand or seem to take it seriously, which makes me second guess if this is just a phase or something real. Has anyone else gone through this kind of shift later in life? How did you explain it to people who seemed skeptical? And how do you navigate dating when your attraction doesn’t follow the usual patterns others seem to talk about?