I went through a shitty part of life prior to entering my first year of college. I felt so out of place being so far away from home where all my family and friends were. Even though I had several ways to reach out to them, I was too caught up with my own unhappiness to physically do it.
Toward the end, after several setbacks and heavy steps forward, I became my own support system, and it was the best and worst thing I did to myself. Even though I came out okay in the end, I must stress to everyone to check on their loved ones, especially the ones that seem okay.
I had issues with myself, to begin with prior to the breakup that started this period of my life, but the move for college triggered a mask of panic and gloominess about everything that was 'wrong' with me. Despite the terrible feeling, to a certain degree, it is a good thing to experience alone—you prevent yourself from making someone your vital support system. However, as time passed, this overwhelming blanket of emotions became a numbing device while simultaneously breaking me.
It's honestly the scariest thing you can see in a person. Pushing aside troubles and putting on a straight face is a toxic practice society praises a person for, and it's not all that glorious. It's best to actually vent and engage with someone.
While engaging, there's a thing to remember about seeing someone at their lowest. You are hearing them talk about disputes with themselves. It's not a call for someone to be patronized for something they can't fix at their own reach.
Falling into deep sadness never keeps a person's mind at bay as you would expect. Everything becomes a mush of evaluating the past and reinventing it as one sits in their room and winces. Reasons and impulses become interchangeable and that's a thing to accept. There is a tornado of emotions that's never been tampered with and a person has to be patient with the other. When a person vents, they hear themselves through their own ears and sometimes what comes out doesn't match what they say in their head. Venting is a source for guidance, really.
Not everyone has a knack for being a therapeutic source. People sometimes don't want to reach out, and it's our job, as one of their loved ones (family or friend) to let them know that we will be there when they need help. Yeah, actions speak louder than words, but words are much more soothing to a person battling away at their own thoughts.