Look to your friend for cues as to what she wants or needs.
There is a difference between sympathy and empathy that can be very valuable at times like these.
A sympathetic response would have you wanting to make your friend feel better by you fixing the problem for them.
An empathetic response would allow you to help your friend to work through the pain in a guided process.
Your friend may want a quick fix, or they may want someone who is just there to listen.
Figure that out and respond appropriately. But try not to mix the two up or t may cause them to be more sad.
Originally Posted: https://www.quora.com/What-can-I-do-for-my-friend-when-she-is-sad
Originally Posted On: 2015-04-27