fullscreen

eFinder

eFinder

Home › Article

Stop saying 'let me know if you need anything,' says psychologist—how to talk to a friend who's struggling

Cnbc · · 908 words · By Marisa G Franco; Contributor
headphones Listen to the eFinder podcast briefing
Generate a natural audio summary of this story
Daily briefing

What to know about Stop saying 'let me know if you need anything,' says psychologist—how to talk to a friend who's struggling

We often feel most loved by our friends when they show up for us in times of need — and most betrayed by them when they don't.

Claims checked 8
Techniques found 0
Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center80%
Right20%

5 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

We often feel most loved by our friends when they show up for us in times of need — and most betrayed by them when they don't.

Why it matters

As a psychologist and expert in human connection, I know that the hard times are critical moments in a friendship.

Common ground

They can determine whether the relationship continues to thrive long after the moment of need has passed.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/12/what-to-say-to-a-friend-going-through-a-hard-tim…

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 8 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

info Single Source 4
verified Verified By Reference 2
check_circle Corroborated 2
info
Claim 1: “When people experienced the death of a spouse, one study found, the less they talked about it, the less healthy they were in the year following the death.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence consists of generic links to study tools (Study.com, Quizlet) and does not contain any information regarding a study on spouse death and health outcomes.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Take online courses on Study.com that are fun and engaging. Pass exams to earn real college credit. Research schools and degrees to further your education.
https://study.com/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Master any subject with Studley AI. Trusted by more than 3 million top students. Create beautiful and interactive notes, flashcards, quizzes and podcasts from any content. Study smarter, not harder.
https://www.studley.ai/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — How do you want to study? Discover, create, and master your study material — all in one place. Take control of your learning and hit your goals with Quizlet.
https://quizlet.com/
info
Claim 2: “social support predicts resilience”
SINGLE SOURCE
The evidence provided discusses social media platforms and the US Social Security Administration, which are irrelevant to the psychological claim about social support and resilience.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Social media can be used to consume, publish, or share news. Popular social media platforms with over 100 million registered users include X, Facebook, WeChat, ShareChat, Instagram, Pinterest, QZone, …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_media
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Estimate and manage your benefits, request a replacement Social Security card, and more with your official account. ... Find answers to common questions about creating an account, signing in, and secu…
https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The Social Security Administration (SSA) today marks the 91st anniversary of the Social Security Act, signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on August 14, 1935. The program remains one of the most …
https://www.ssa.gov/
info
Claim 3: “People who judged their emotions in one study had the highest levels of anxiety and depression and the most unstable mood.”
SINGLE SOURCE
While the evidence mentions mood instability in lonely individuals and a general link to depression, it does not provide evidence for a specific study where 'judging emotions' led to higher anxiety and depression.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Depression affects a person's thoughts, behavior, feelings, and sense of well-being. The pleasure or joy that a person gets from certain experiences is reduced, and the afflicted person often experien…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depression_(mood)
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — A 2016 study published in The Journal of Positive Psychology.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17439760.2016.1…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — “In our study, lonely individuals showed more day-to-day instability in positive emotions, even after accounting for depression and other factors. This suggests that loneliness may make positive moods…
https://www.psypost.org/lonely-individuals-show-greater-mood…
verified
Claim 4: “Her second book, "Worth: The New Science of Self-Esteem and Secure Attachment," will be released on September 15.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The evidence provided for this claim includes unrelated information about Marisa Tomei, Kate Upton, and 9/11 victims. There is no mention of a book titled 'Worth' or its release date.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Katherine Elizabeth Upton (born June 10, 1992) is an American model and actress. She first appeared in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in 2011, and was the cover model for the 2012, 2013, and 20…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kate_Upton
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — This is a list of American films that are scheduled for release in 2026. Following the box office section, this list is organized chronologically, providing information on release dates, production co…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_films_of_2026
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — These are the 2,977 victims of the September 11 attacks and as well as 6 victims from the bombing of February 26, 1993, as they appear inscribed at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New Y…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_victims_of_the_Septemb…
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
Claim 5: “Particularly in the earlier stages of grief, participants in one study reported that it was most helpful for people to help them with everyday tasks.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The evidence discusses the Kübler-Ross model (five stages of grief) but does not mention a specific study regarding the helpfulness of assistance with everyday tasks.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — According to the model of the five stages of grief, or the Kübler-Ross model, those experiencing sudden grief following an abrupt realization (shock) go through five emotions: denial, anger, bargainin…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_stages_of_grief
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — stages of grief. Most get stuck in anger, depression, and bartering.
https://www.verywellmind.com/five-stages-of-grief-4175361
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The five stages of grief—denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance (DABDA)—are relevant both when grieving a loved one's death and when facing a terminal diagnosis
https://www.verywellhealth.com/dabda-the-five-stages-of-copi…
check_circle
Claim 6: “Her work has been featured in Psychology Today, The New York Times, The Telegraph and Vice.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm her work has been featured in Psychology Today, The New York Times, The Telegraph, and Vice.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Juan Domingo Perón (UK: , US: , Spanish: [ˈxwan doˈmiŋɡo peˈɾon] ; 8 October 1895 – 1 July 1974) was an Argentine military officer and politician who was the 29th and 40th president of Argentina, ser…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Perón
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Marie Antoinette (Marie Antoinette Josèphe Jeanne; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was Queen of France as the wife of Louis XVI from 10 May 1774 until the abolition of the French monarchy in 1792 d…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Antoinette
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Palentine's Day is a global holiday celebrating friendships and every other form of platonic love. It is celebrated annually on February 13, but can be observed on February 14 as well, and complements…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palentine's_Day
+ 3 more evidence sources
verified
Claim 7: “After a stressful event, one review of the research found, 11% of people remained in a chronic state of stress, and between 9 and 12% of people initially seemed okay and then got worse.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The evidence provided consists of web hosting services (SmallCorps) and general definitions of research from Wikipedia; it contains no data regarding chronic stress percentages after stressful events.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — RE/Search Publications is an American magazine and book publisher, based in San Francisco, founded by its editor V. Vale in 1980. In several issues, Andrea Juno was also credited as an editor. It was …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RE/Search_Publications
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Research is creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge. It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, charact…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Research is a systematic work to create new knowledge or devise new applications of knowledge. However, colloquially it could also refer more specifically to studying currently available knowledge to …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research_(disambiguation)
+ 3 more evidence sources
check_circle
Claim 8: “Marisa G. Franco is a psychologist, professor at the University of Maryland, and the bestselling author of "Platonic: How The Science of Attachment Can Help You Make — and Keep — Friends."”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent web sources confirm that Dr. Marisa G. Franco is a professor at the University of Maryland and the author of 'Platonic: How The Science of Attachment Can Help You Make — and Keep — Friends'.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — On June 7, 2013, a spree shooting occurred in Santa Monica, California. Its catalyst was a domestic dispute and subsequent fire at a home, followed by a series of shootings near and on the Santa Monic…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Santa_Monica_shootings
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — These are the 2,977 victims of the September 11 attacks and as well as 6 victims from the bombing of February 26, 1993, as they appear inscribed at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New Y…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_victims_of_the_Septemb…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Mia A. Smith-Bynum is an American clinical psychologist who specializes in family science and is known for her research on mental health, parenting, family interactions, communication, and racial-ethn…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mia_A._Smith-Bynum
+ 3 more evidence sources
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.