• Rentlar@lemmy.ca
    22·
    2 months ago

    What else could I do for you, besides saying, “that sucks, friend”? Asking seriously.

    • I can offer you advice based on my own experience, that may or may not work for you.
    • I can refer you to talk to someone who has a professional degree in studying feelings, who may be able to help you with better advice than me or prescribe drugs.
    • I can sit, nod, pat you on the back through words.

    If it is someone I know in person, I’d try to send them care package based on what I would think they liked.

    • FishFace@piefed.socialEnglish
      4·
      2 months ago

      The most important thing is empathising, and if you express that by saying “that sucks” that’s pretty good.

    • solidheron@sh.itjust.works
      2·
      2 months ago

      Saying “that sucks” is probably fine to say but it’s not my first choice.

      Really the best thing you can do is show that you’re listening while they open up. I interpret that as listening mostly and making brief comments (something you can say in 5 seconds) relevant to their story.

      Guess that’s basically point 3 in more detail.

      The practical stuff is cool too. It shows you care