The friend who’s been quiet in the chat lately might not be busy. A quick “you good?” goes further than you’d think.

Going quiet is rarely a schedule problem. People pull back when they are struggling because they do not want to be a burden in a group chat full of jokes. The absence looks like distance from the outside and feels like sinking from the inside.

If someone has faded out lately, send two words rather than waiting for a good moment. You are not intruding by asking, and you do not need a plan for what to say if the answer is honest. Being reachable is most of it.