I feel bad when I can’t help my friends when they are going through a rough patch.

I get that a lot as part of my job. The woman I care for just loves to talk and the way she does it is she is fishing for solutions. Unfortunately, I am not a mental health professional and it is frustrating

sometimes they just need to vent.
and sometimes they know the answers already.

people are like volcanoes - we can vent from time to time or erupt.

Yea? I used to be like that too. You should not be this way. If you gave a dollar to every person who begged for one you would never crawl out of debt. What about your life? Who is going to help you when you are going through a rough patch? Nobody that's who. No, "I'll pray for you" doesn't count. Prayer never counted for shit since the time it became an idea.

Just take care of yourself. Nobody else will. That doesn't need to be depressing. It is just how things are. Cats existing is how things are as well and they are lovely.

I feel the same way about my online friends. I wish i had the perfect words all the time, which i dont!:(

it doesn't help, but i think the fact you try makes you a good person. hope you find comfort soon