I've made a new friend lately who I feel is trying to take over my life. When we drop our children at nursery, she follows me to wherever I go, and I had to strongly dissuade her from coming to the dentist with me the other day.
The truth is that now my daughter is at nursery, I haven't got a lot to do in the day, but sometimes I just want to walk around town on my own, or go home and sit and watch DVDs. I know that sounds dull, and not as much fun as spending time with a friend (and she IS a friend, she's very nice and fun to be with).
I used to be very very outgoing and sought company almost constantly. But recently I've wanted to spend time on my own. I am approaching a milestone birthday, and I am starting to feel like people's free councilor - they offload onto me. I used to like this, it made me feel important, but now it makes me feel used, and emotionally wrung out.
I seem to have become self centred and selfish.
So, I don't know what to do. Should I ask my friends to back off out of my life, or make excuses to be alone, or shall I carry on as I am currently, around people all the time? I don't know if this is 'right' for me, you see. I've always cherished having a lot of friends, it's not my normal reaction to want to back away from people. generally I love all my friends so much I'd have them move in with me forever if I could, but right now I just want them to leave, fuck off stop talking.
It's me, isn't it.
What would you do? (And why is this happening to me?)