I feel like my best friend is drifting away. Should I leave him alone?
A friend of mine has stayed in touch with me for the past two or three years after moving to another country. We used to talk and play games together almost daily, and since I've known him for so long, I felt like our bond was very strong. But lately, over the last few months, he's become more distant.
Right now, he spends most of his free time engrossed in a video game. When he's not studying or busy with something else, he's usually playing alone. Sometimes he even tells me he has to go somewhere, but then I realize he was actually just watching a live stream. He eventually admits it when I ask him.
I understand that he has his own interests and things to do; it doesn't bother me. What hurts is that he's gone so far as to lie to me. Before, I could write to him anytime, and he would always reply, but now he often leaves my messages unanswered or simply reads them without responding. Every now and then, he sends me a video or a meme without warning, ignoring everything I've said before.
I've already tried talking to him about how he makes me feel, but he usually avoids the conversation. He says he wants to improve in the areas I mention, but honestly, I haven't noticed any change.
At this point, I don't know if I should give him space and leave him alone.
What makes it even stranger is that he doesn't usually spend time with other people either; he's almost always alone. That's why it's so confusing to see someone I considered my best friend slowly drifting away, especially since he used to speak so highly of me even when I wasn't around.