It took me a long time to learn this, so I'm putting it here, maybe it's useful to you too.
So here is what you should actually do when someone is crying.
Always keep in mind: this is not a normal conversation. It has special rules. Don't get carried away by talking normally/reasonably.
Your role is mostly to listen and ask the most obvious/expected questions.
Your goal should not be to make them stop crying, but instead, to give them a chance to say all the things that they need to say.
When people are crying, they do not want you to make them stop crying. They want you to help them continue crying until the emotions run out.
Don't give any suggestions that you think might resolve their situation. Write them down and save them for later. But this is not the right time to mention your ideas.
Don't try to respond to everything they say. Only say something when they stop talking. In general, you should be saying very little.
Don't try to be creative with your responses or make jokes. It would not fit into an emotional conversation.
Don't talk about how your experiences compare to theirs. In fact, don't talk about yourself at all. You can do that later.
Don't call them out on exaggerating their facts and explanations. That is usually done on purpose to help get emotions out.
Remember, this is not a normal conversation. It is not about facts or correctness. Don't be a stereotypical internet person
Don't tell them to calm down. They will calm down on their own when the time is right.