How could you possibly know whether or not your friends perceived your statements that way? And it sounds like you did actually kind of mean it that way, due to the fact that you're blaming the fact that it could be perceived that way on the person's poor self-esteem.

It's kind of like rich people complaining to those who are starving about how having money does truly complicate their lives. I'm sure it does, but, still--know when and to whom to talk about it, and when and to whom not to!