Is this friend trying to 'break up' with me?

[oneDtwoD]

You know that thing that some people do when dating: instead of ending things they become more and more unbearable so that you split up with them, does that also happen in friendships?

I have a male friend who is becoming more and more difficult to be around. We've gone from being really good mates to the point where i feel like I'm walking on eggshells a lot of the time. He has some stressful stuff going on in his life so i am quite tolerant of his moodiness but I've recently noticed that he manages to behave like a reasonable human being around other peope we mutually know. There have been a couple of incidents in the past year where I've done things that he hasn't agreed with and I'm starting to wonder if he's decided he doesn't want to be friends anymore but this is his way of dealing with it.

[MatildaTheCat]

Umm, it's not really how you behave with your friends, is it? You've annoyed him with whatever you did, he's stressed anyway and behaving badly when you see one another.

Back away and see other people. Friendships do end, I guess they rarely have The Talk, we just drift away if it's not working for any reason.

[something2say]

Perhaps so, but also perhaps not? Perhaps he is being a moody arse to you because he thinks he can get we with it somehow?

I'd call him out short, sharp and quick next time and then see if he settles down a bit.

[sonjadog]

I think no matter what is going on with him, you step back and tell him clearly that how he is behaving is not okay. If he doesn't get his act together, you detach and move on.