It's tough. It's really tough.
... when someone you know is hurting and you would do anything to take their pain away... but you can't.
When someone I care about is hurting, I (too) often make the mistake of giving advice. I'm an engineer. A problem solver. But there's one problem. People that are feeling emotional pain do not generally want answers. They want to know that you care. And giving advice, even well-intentioned advice, isn't convincing.
When I've been the one hurting, I know what works for me. To have someone listen. Truly listen. In this world, with all of the appointments, deadlines, text messages, phone calls, etc., for someone to put the entire universe on hold to listen to exactly what you have to say speaks volumes.
Believe me, no words that you speak will convey your love more than deliberate listening.
So, if someone you know is hurting, stop thinking about solving the problem and just listen.