We critique those we care about?

Do you believe that we are at times overly critical of those that we care about? My friend stopped talking to me for a month because I criticized him about some things. He thinks that there's no point in talking to someone who thinks so "negatively" of him. What he doesn't realize is that I don't think negatively of him - yes I do see his flaws but just because I pointed them out, makes me worthy of dropping as a friend? Does this make sense? Why did he react the way that he did?