So this friend of mine has grown more and more emotionally needy and constantly uses me to gain attention. She's flirty when drinking, complains to me about not being to find a man, and constantly mentioning she feels overweight in an effort to get me to disagree with her.

I'm at the end of my rope, I'm being treated like a boyfriend with none of the payoff... and the time has come to put an end to it. A few weeks ago I started treating her like "one of the guys" and teasing more, and she took it too seriously and freaked out on me. I want her to be aware that I'm there for her as a friend, but I am not someone she can dump her emotions on.

Is there any way I can do this without her thinking I'm an asshole? And for context: she is not my girlfriend, and my actual girlfriend does not like her hanging around me. I've brought up her behavior twice and she insists she only thinks of us as friends. I have however been asked by several people, close friends and some I just met, if we are together. So I'm not crazy, she is in fact treating me boyfriendy.
user
friend constantly uses me for attention only wants me
assistant
So this friend of mine has grown more and more emotionally needy and constantly uses me to gain attention. She's flirty when drinking, complains to me about not being to find a man, and constantly mentioning she feels overweight in an effort to get me to disagree with her.

I'm at the end of my rope, I'm being treated like a boyfriend with none of the payoff... and the time has come to put an end to it. A few weeks ago I started treating her like "one of the guys" and teasing more, and she took it too seriously and freaked out on me. I want her to be aware that I'm there for her as a friend, but I am not someone she can dump her emotions on.

Is there any way I can do this without her thinking I'm an asshole? And for context: she is not my girlfriend, and my actual girlfriend does not like her hanging around me. I've brought up her behavior twice and she insists she only thinks of us as friends. I have however been asked by several people, close friends and some I just met, if we are together. So I'm not crazy, she is in fact treating me boyfriendy.
user
friend constantly needy/flirty, wants attention and treats me like
assistant