I is a big girl

I can solve my own problems, don't necessarily need someone else to do it for me. However, I do happen to have the unfortunate habit of discussing them with people.Or whinging, more to the point. This gives the wrong impression. I have usually thought the issue through and am merely voicing these thoughts out loud. This is often handy, something said in the head may not be so crazy but out loud is cuckoo town. Saying it out loud means that I may not do something silly in the future or say something to people who are less supportive (ie discreet about insanity in friends).
However, I have lately had a problem with some (predominantly male) friends feeling that my whinging means that I would like my problem to be solved by them. This would be fine if it did not inevitably end up making things infinitely worse... If it doesn't involve mouse traps, putting up pictures or power tools (these I like to call "boy jobs", more commonly known as jobs I don't like doing), then listen patiently, pat me on the head and distract me with something shiny!