Today I had an appointment with my psychiatrist.

I arrived &amp; sat in the waiting area - as is the general case for MH facilities (worsened by COVID things), staff numbers are short but patient/client numbers don't decline so I guess with packed slots sometimes it overruns &amp; I wait beyond my time. Today was one of those days. Next to me was a young man (\~20s) &amp; his main caregiver, likely his mom. I overheard their (less than subtle) convo, which was like -

His mom was being rude &amp; cynical to the guy like he's a child, going on about how he's not wearing a mask properly\* (like, felt infantilizing/mocking zz), which obviously made him annoyed &amp; agitated.

When things like that happen (ie general interpersonal conflict in the waiting area), I'm always like -

1. Can it be my turn \*now\*?

2. If it cannot, can it be \*his\* turn now? 🧐😏

\*\* I really think I have mini MH hosp waiting area phobia, ever since the \*one\* time I encountered some schizophrenic woman (legit, she was my doc's patient before me, I mentioned it &amp; doc explained in passing) who screamed for half an hour. I got up &amp; told the nurse/patient service associate/whoever the staff member was that it was vv distressing. 😩

Is this a thing or am I just snooty and weird? As in, does anyone go for MH outpatient reviews and legitimately wonder if they're the only regular-functional person (while your other braincells wonder if every person sitting around you has the exact same thoughts)

I don't mean this in any bad sense per se &amp; text doesn't tell tone, but it \*was\* slightly triggering today, though milder than the schizophrenia woman encounter. &amp; I don't claim to be always perfect or ok, cos in the words of my psychiatrist (whom I love-hate AHAHA she's so uncool she's cool) -

"Of course you're ok! I mean I've see you un-okay, so ..."

So yeah, I've had un-okay times too - was ard initial diagnosis, SH\* &amp; close to depression &amp; I think at some point i was almost admitted but lucid enough to nope ... yadda yadda. &amp; at appts I'd walk in and end up saying, in tears, "EVERYTHING'S WRONG" - THAT was years ago, and I suppose, that was un-okay.

Please tell me outpatient waiting room anxiety is real. 😩 

\* wrt masks: yeah where I am, mask-wearing is still a significant, mandatory part of COVID protocol (-: thought to clarify, in the midst of various places increasingly opening up