Concerned about my friend?

[Laura]

Sometimes you feel like you shouldn't talk about yourself or your problems because you don't want to be a burden on your friends. This is especially true for people who have critical, disparaging or emotionally abusive people in their lives.

For example, if a parent keeps telling her how awful she is and how she's doing everything wrong, she may be afraid to open up to you because she may think you'll criticize her too.

You know her better, so you would maybe know if she has an emotionally abusive person in her life. But then again, you may not know, and she may not even know. I didn't know until I was in my 30's.

One way or another, it is possible that she may really want to talk to someone but for whatever reason she may think she can't. If you can avoid being judgmental or critical, tell her so and maybe she will open up to you.