AITA? My coworker told me my “vibe was off” and told me to “use healing crystals”
I (28F, trans) work front desk at an outpatient psych, and I was having an off day. I broke up with my ex a month ago and I now live alone for the first time. I’ve been at odds with my family due to drama with my brother.
I’m usually pretty upbeat at work, I try to be kind and positive to everyone considering the environment. But last Friday I was basically silent, I hadn’t slept well, family and ex on my mind - I didn’t want to do small talk with coworkers. I worked the opening shift, and when my coworker (22F) came in at 8, she wanted to tell me all about her fiancé’s drama from dinner the night before.
I would say she and I are close, she tells me everything, I’ve shared a lot about my life with her, and usually we console each other. We hang outside of work and talk via text daily.
Usually I’d react to what she has to say, but that day I sat silently. I still listened to what she had to say, not making eye contact. Her dinner story wasn’t abhorrent, and her “mother-in-law” is another coworker so I didn’t want to say too much.
By about 11am she realized I wasn’t engaging in her convo for the day. She asked if I was okay, and I said “it’s been a rough week” and that I was just trying to get through the day. She didn’t ask if I wanted to talk, but said “You’ve been being kind of a b!tch all morning.” I said sorry, I wasn’t trying to be, but that I’m just not in the mood.
She didn’t really respond, and continued trying to chat about her relationship, show me funny videos, and tell me about her weekend plans. IMO, I continued to be less and less responsive, as I had already expressed my emotional state and desire to disengage.
After lunch, she brought up my mood again, asking if I was personally mad at her. I told her I wasn’t, I just wanted to be left alone and get through the work day. She said verbatim “You’ve been a c@nt to me all day. Your energy is so whack, have you been using the crystals I gave you?”
I have many energy crystals from many people, I do tarot almost daily, etc. I kinda blew up on her, telling her to leave me tf alone, reiterated that I had already told her I wasn’t mad and I was having a bad day and wanted space. “I do care about you and your life but I can’t be your therapist today.” and “is there a crystal that will get you to stfu?” There were no patients in our lobby, docs had gone home, so I believe this conversation was only privy to the two of us.
Her response - “wow, our supervisors would love to hear how you talk to coworkers in front of patients.” Again I looked around, empty lobby, no further patients for the day, everyone was checked out. But it made me fear that she’ll go to our bosses. She’s done so before on others.
I was blunt and angry when I told her I genuinely did not want to hear about her life problems all day long after already expressing my own struggles and desire for privacy for the day. But now I’m afraid she’ll go to our bosses.
AITH for blowing up on her at work?