To get angry when friends try to cheer me up with platitutes?

[MissMedusa]

I don't want to hear: It'll make you stronger, you'll get through this, think about happier times, use this as a springboard, look on the bright side etc.

It really puts me off sharing my problems. People always want to know what's wrong but when I tell them, all I get is platitudes. Either give me some practical advice or commiserate with me. You're not going cheer me up with a one liner cliché so you can pat yourself on the back and congratulate yourself on being a good friend.

"People who helped were thd knes eho were happy to listen, and asked questions about the tests, thd diagnosis, the teeatment and side effects, without making assumptions"

But you'd have to be very confident of yourself and your relationship with the sufferer to actually ask such potentially painful and intrusive questions. When my friend was at her worst after the split she kept dropping in comments about how non-existent their sex life had been - there was no way I could have asked questions about that; 'well, how often did you dtd then?' Maybe that is socially inept of me. I don't think it is. I simply beleive that for most people there is an invisible wall around certain areas where you don't tread - unless specifically invited to IYSWIM.

I also think I am misreading 'platitudes' in this thread - I would never say 'it's all for the best' to anyone for example (even if I thought it) , but I might make stupid pointless 'there there' type noises while giving hugs.

If someone is dropping hints about a difficult topic you could just say "Do you want to talk about it?"