It is not easy to deal with adversity when you do not know what to expect. After my diagnosis, I felt a lot of uncertainty and anxiety. Most people, including me, fear the unknown and that is perfectly normal. Many of my friends offered support to me in my time of need. But to be honest, some support was more helpful than others. 

Everyone deals with their challenges in their own way. However, I found that some of my well meaning friends would often give me suggestions and advice that did not fit my belief system or personal values. It's hard to push back against someone you know is trying to support you. However, even when I did many people just became more forceful with their advice. Or got frustrated with me for not doing everything they said. I wish they understood that telling someone how they should react does not change how they feel. If you have never been in a person's shoes and you are not the one living their life, feel free to make suggestions. However, if the person chooses not to listen, so be it. Do not force your beliefs on anyone. We all deal with things differently. If you really want to help a friend going through a tough situation, sometimes it's best to just listen and not judge.