I dumped my needy friend – now I feel terrible

DEAR DEIDRE: ALTHOUGH I care about my friend, I can’t cope with her problems when I have enough of my own.

I got so sick of her constant moaning that I blocked her number and deleted her on social media. Now I feel bad.

I’m 35 and have known my friend, 38, since we worked together ten years ago.

She lives alone and has always been demanding. But since the pandemic started, she’s been a huge drain.

When she feels lonely, she rings me up and expects to chat for hours. She treats me like her personal therapist.

But I can’t deal with her issues. I lost my mother and father last year, very suddenly, and I’m still grieving.

I also have a family, who need my time. She can’t see that I need support too.

DEIDRE SAYS: There are times when friends take too much and don’t give very much back.

This makes a friendship a chore. If you feel bad about blocking her, make contact and explain you need some space to sort out your own head.

Talk to your GP if you are not coping and read my support pack on Bereavement for counselling information.