How can I (22F) end a relationship with my boyfriend (20M), who happens to be emotionally dependent on me, with the premise that I would much like to stay friends?

Me and my boyfriend have been together for 6 years now, but lately I’m starting to come to the realization that, even though I deeply care for my boyfriend as a person, for a long time I subconsciously desired to move on from our romantic relationship, as I found that the doubts, misunderstandings and tensions between us tended to outweigh the happy moments, at least on my part. I also feel our outlook on life is quite different, and I fear our goals might eventually not walk the same path. For context, I’m a very goal-oriented person. Goals and aspirations mean everything to me, and there’s really not much I’m willing to sacrifice for a relationship.

For a long time, I tried to deny this to myself, thinking that maybe it was just a temporary feeling, but I am lately realizing that continuing to ignore these feelings could prove bad for both of us. Moreover, I really treasure this person, but I feel the line between a romantic type of feeling and a platonic one had become very blurred to me by this point. Sometimes, he just feels like my closest friend, and for that reason, now I’m feeling like I may be leading him on.

What scares me most about letting go, however, is potentially losing this friendship. My boyfriend is a brilliant person, and I feel like breaking up might make our paths diverge forever on every aspect. Which would not be ideal.

Another thing worthy noting is that my boyfriend isn’t the most mentally stable person ever, and has voiced to me several times that without me, he would be lost and would probably fall into a depression. I think there’s a dynamic of dependence between us, and I don’t like the weight of this responsibility on my shoulders. It isn’t healthy.

Oftentimes, it feels as if my choice here is a double-edged sword; on one side, I’m not the happiest in this relationship and I feel by staying any longer I might lead him on, which would be damaging to both me and him, on the other, I feel that me leaving him would greatly worsen his mental health, and lead him to potentially harm himself, which I do not want, and I don’t want to be responsible of. He once said if I left him he’d probably never heal and staying friends would hurt him as he’d probably always have love for me deep down, and that’s devastating to me.

For those who were in a similar position, what did you do? How did you end the relationship? Could you maintain the friendship without it draining you? If not, is it then most wise to let the person go? Is there anything I can do about how he feels? I am really scared about a decline in his mental health caused by my actions, but I recognize that worrying about this and continuing to stay also isn’t healthy for me, or fair to him.

Please, I’m desperate, what could I do?