Pile on the agony/gloom

Pro Tip 1/3

Emphasizing sadness

Use it when someone keeps mentioning events or details that add to a feeling of sadness.

After the breakup, her friends kept piling on the gloom with their own sad stories.

Pro Tip 2/3

Negative reinforcement

It's used to describe making a situation feel worse by continuous negative comments.

He lost his job, and his colleagues piled on the gloom talking about the tough job market.

Pro Tip 3/3

Avoid in comfort

Avoid using this phrase when trying to comfort someone as it can make you seem insensitive.

When she started to cry, I knew it was time to stop piling on the gloom.