[Oh— hm. Something about the way she immediately demurs into lessening her own struggles sits poorly with him, although he doesn't visibly react. He picks at his own pastry some more, never seeming to get more than a whole bite in, and wonders if it's too far outside his business to say anything.

To his credit, he wonders this for a whole couple seconds before he decides, nah, he definitely should say whatever he wants, so:]

Did someone accuse you of doing that? [mildly, because what a concept if they did-] I don't think admitting you have struggles is denying anyone else's. People having struggles aren't mutually exclusive, after all.

[It's not a contest, and so on. Ah, and he holds up a hand like, buuut-]

Not that I'm trying to overstep and tell you how to feel. Can you imagine? Telling you how to feel about how you feel; I'd be the worst kind of asshole. [off topic palamedes] But just to be clear, I didn't think you were invalidating anyone. A few months can be significant— a few months can be life-changing.

[She's Valid, tada!!]