I was the emotionally draining friend. I didn't know it until my friend told me. I was really hurt because I didn't know that it had been hard to be my friend, and I wished they would've said something sooner so I could correct myself. I really care about this friend. Our moms were pregnant with us at the same time. We've literally known each other since birth. So I took a few steps back. Looked at myself and what was hard about me for her. Turns out, I can't change the parts of me that are upsetting (I have a personality disorder, which I learned decades after she told me), but I can change how I interact with that person. So I did. Here we are at age 47, still very close friends.

Talking to your friend is the only way to go. It will be hard & uncomfortable, but you have to protect yourself. You can't control how your friend will react to this news, but hopefully they are self aware enough to be able to adjust how they are with you. Good luck!