Friendship Issue- How to approach this.

[FurryFerrets33]

I posted this in Relationships but didn't get any replies so I thought I'd try again here. Here goes:-

I used to be part of a support group and I met a few people through this. I met a person here and initially we hit it off. However I started to gradually be put off by their behaviour towards me and from my point of view the relationship has soured and I no longer want to be friends.
Behaviour includes questing my professional knowledge and qualifications, looking at my social media and asking why they were not invited to meet up with x and y, why did I post on SM and not tag them, being patronising towards me in front of other friends (I stood up to them over this and they did apologise) and talking about their problems non-stop.
It just all got too much and I have reduced contact, however they still contact me. I rarely reply.
They have invited me to an event for them that I cannot attend as I am busy. They replied that they still want to meet me one-on-one. Obviously I don't want to because I find them and their behaviour towards me very draining. I no longer attend the support group, but we do have mutual friends. I possibly will run into them again.
I know that they have severe social anxiety so I'm not sure how to approach this. I don't want to be unkind but I don't want to continue the friendship or meet up. They tend to press and press you for an explanation as why you didn't do things that they expected which I want to avoid.
Any advice welcome, I feel a bit stuck.

I think you have two options here: short-term risk and long-term risk.

Option one (short-term risk) is that you bite the bullet and call/email/message to say, directly, that the friendship isn't working for you, wish them all the best etc. Obvious risk is that you run the risk of running into them, they have a go via mutual friends. May be briefly unpleasant.

Option two (long-term risk) is ghosting: block their numbers, block on all SM etc. Side effects may include being thought of as a bit of a dick by mutual friends etc. Much higher risk of it coming back to bite you and you looking like the arsehole.

I would go for option one, myself, but I'm quite blunt and prefer 'biting the head off a frog' sooner rather than later.

^Good advice from @AffIt (I would go with option 1 as well).

Yep, option 1. If pressed, explain friend has become intrusive and uncomfortable and which as an adult you don’t need. Wish them well and no doubt you will cross paths at mutual friends events at some point in the future.