Solution

I hadn't intended to trauma dump onto the old man at the bar, but he asked enough questions to basically get everything out of me.

When I finally realised what I'd done, I began to stammer out an apology when he spoke.

"Now, I can't say that I understood everything you said just then, young man, but I understood your pain. I've felt similar, and you know what got me through it?"

I braced myself for this to become religious, or possibly just multi-level marketing.

"Beer. Makes everything better."

Not a good answer, but better than a lot of others.