It’s hard to enforce boundaries with friends — especially when they start dating someone new.

If you were best friends with someone of the opposite gender and their new love interest was intimidated by you, would you step to the side to make them feel more comfortable, or would you insist on keeping your friendship as close as ever?

One Redditor struggles to draw boundaries with her male friend.

Let’s read the story below for all the details.

AITAH for telling my best friend I can’t be his emotional support anymore since he got a gf?

I (24F, let’s call me “Anna”) have been best friends with Jason (25M) for about three years.

We met through work, clicked immediately, and, honestly, became each other’s go-to support system for everything: breakups, family stuff, mental health struggles, whatever.

It’s never been romantic — I’m casually dating someone else right now (not serious, but still relevant).

Then…Emily entered the picture.

A couple months ago, Jason started dating Emily (24F).

I was happy for him and even messaged her to say congrats, hoping we could be friendly, too.

At first, things seemed fine, but gradually Jason started pulling back. Shorter messages, canceling plans, acting jumpy whenever I called.

Eventually, he admitted that Emily felt “weird” about how close we are.

I stepped back because I really didn’t want to be the problem.

But, Anna was only out of the picture when Jason didn’t need her…

But then, every time they argued, Jason would dump all his feelings on me: hours-long texts, phone calls in the middle of the night, wanting me to talk him down or reassure him.

If things were going fine with Emily, he’d basically ignore me.

Now, this is where things get a little tense.

Last week, I finally told him I couldn’t keep doing that. If his girlfriend isn’t comfortable with me, then I can’t stay on the sidelines and play his secret therapist whenever their relationship goes south.

It makes me feel like I’m being used, even though I have zero romantic interest in him. I don’t want to be the backup friend he only talks to when things go badly.

He got really upset and said I was abandoning him and punishing him for having a girlfriend.

So, is Anna right to lay down these boundaries?

Some of our mutuals think I’m being too harsh and should keep being there for him because “that’s what best friends do.”

But I feel like I’m being dragged into their relationship drama against my will, and it’s not fair to me.

So… AITA?

Does Reddit have situations such as this to share? Let’s read the comments below to get a sense of what everyone is thinking.

People noted that the OP’s mental health should come first.

They also said that this boyfriend didn’t have enough respect for his girlfriend.

One Redditor said the mutuals should step up to the plate.

And finally, one reader called it like they saw it — a love interest.

This woman doesn’t owe this guy therapy.

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