I (32F) work in a pretty fast-paced office, and lunchtime is kind of sacred for me — it's the one hour in the day where I can actually relax, scroll my phone, or just eat in peace. Recently, a new coworker, let’s call her Amy (29F), started sitting with me almost every day during lunch. At first, I didn’t mind. She seemed friendly, a bit quiet, but nice.

But then she started oversharing… a lot. Every time we sit down, she launches into something heavy — childhood trauma, toxic relationships, family drama, even therapy sessions. At first I tried to be supportive, thinking she just needed someone to talk to. But it’s become every single day. I leave lunch feeling drained instead of refreshed.

Last week, after yet another intense session where she cried over a story about her ex, I gently told her that maybe lunchtime isn’t the best space for these kinds of conversations. I said I didn’t want to be rude, but I need that hour to decompress. She got really quiet, then later sent me a message saying she felt rejected and that I lacked empathy.

Now I’m getting weird looks from a couple of other coworkers she talks to, and I’m wondering if I came off as cold. I do feel bad, but I also feel like it’s not fair to dump emotional weight on someone every day during a work break.

AITA for telling her to stop trauma-dumping?