This was the approach I've attempted, but he responds with ignoring me for days on end. We've always been close up until recent, now he treats everyone badly. I've witnessed his parents and older siblings lying a lot and not being able to take responsibility of their actions, so I would guess he has modeled this behavior to survive the house hold.

I understand part of this is his age; and he does care, but if you confront him on something then because he is so sensitive he gets hurt, even if he is in the wrong.

That's another issue he used to tell me how when he would admit to being wrong to his dad then his dad would make fun of him or call him names. So I can understand after years of this behavior that he would see apologizing or admitting to a wrong as being bad because from a certain point of view he was punished emotionally.

I did let him know I love him and that I'm sorry if I hurt him. I'm trying to show him through my actions rather than tell him how to act, but since I don't see him much there is little impact.

Sorry for the rant, I just need to get this out. I watched over him for many years and saw and heard the verbal and emotional abuse. And I was there for him, but after trying to talk to my sister about how he was feeling, I was shut down, told I didn't know what I was talking about and he was not allowed to see me much. That's when his behavior started to decline.

When he saw I was caring and giving and selfless then he would be the same. Now he acts like his parents. Breaks my heart. He's had to act like they do to survive and It blows my mind that it happened in just 2 years.