Um... how do I word this?

I have a friend who I need to have a chat with. I'm just not sure how to approach this chat we need to have.

He's in a bad place and I don't want to kick someone while they are down, but he has advanced past the needy stage and has morphed into a stage-5 clinger. So how to tell him to back off a bit without destroying what little ego the poor guy has left?

You know, tact has never been by forté. But after the last text exchage we had I need to do something soon... it went something like:
Him: Morning angel
(I hate this nick-name he's given me... annoys the piss out of me. To me this is a term of endearment that you use for someone you're intimate with)
Me: morning
Him: How are/have you been?
Me: Busy
Him: Any luck on looking for a new place?
Me: No time to really look. Been working crazy hours...
Him: Anything I can do to help, you only have to swallow your pride and ask.

EXCUSE ME? First of all, he is in no position to help anyone out. He can't even get his own crap together, let alone help someone else out with theirs. Secondly, he doesn't know me well enough to know whether or not I'm being prideful. This just completely rubbed me the wrong way... annoying to the nth degree.

And, of course, me being me I wonder if I annoy any of my friends like this? Oh man, I hope not... I would feel bad if any of my friends avoided me because I was annoying the hell out of them. I don't think this is the case... but who knows?

Anyway, it's not going to be an easy conversation. But it is one that needs to happen... and soon.