I don't think caring about anyone is EVER a side effect. But if you want to know the truth, you have to understand how I view love. I can have an attraction and a desire for someone, but to me that is not love, that is the emotion (desire) for them, Attraction is physical desire, or sometimes called lust (no not necessarily a negative or bad thing it just is physical attraction) Those things drive us to draw to others and want to be with them but it is not love. Love is not dependent on desire or attraction. Love is what you do with it. Caring and being with someone because you continually want to give them this, is love, pure and simple. Becuase falling out of attraction can happen sometimes, most of which is temporary, love is continuing the relationship, giving, caring and all that goes with it, in spite of what you feel at the time. Your feelings, lust, sexual needs all will come and go but your love for them has to endure. As long as you depend on how you feel in order to love someone it remains something less than love. IF that all makes sense, then here is my answer

I think that he did feel something for you and I am sure it was real. I am sure that he cared for you and while he was with you yes, he loved you in THAT MANNER. What he felt, and what drove him to do so I don't know, but what I see is that he lost that somehow and I really think his love was based on dependency on you. I don't know what you gave him but without the dependency on drugs, it has gone and he no longer has to rely on you or anyone for whatever needs he had before.

if someone loves you, you don't have to ask. Actions speak louder than words. What they do for you and with you says it all.