i'm in two minds. it might be helpful for people to know how to respond, but to be honest, i think the beauty of a site like this is the diversity of the advice and support given. we come from all different walks of life and have all different points of view. it'd be kind of a shame if we developed this generic way of replying to one another. what is helpful for one person might not be for another, so the best thing to do in my opinion is be sensitive and say what you think. the only responses that i think would be particularly detrimental are those that would encourage someone to stay in a harmful pattern of behaviour, or those that are cruel - neither of which you generally see here.
none of us are therapists and nobody should come here expecting a professional opinion. we are all just people giving what we can. some people will be blunt, others will be gentle, some will give you a pat on the hand and say "there, there", others will tell you when you're being a pain in the bum. it's all good.
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