Friendships at work can complicate things, for sure! I echo the thoughts of other people, wondering if you've considered a change. But I also wonder about some of the specifics of your situation, the tweaking of which could return the experience of your job to a more pleasant place. Like:

• How confident are you in the work you're doing?
• Does your boss see the good job you're doing?
• How much control does this new person have in your performance reviews?
• Before this challenging situation happened, in what ways did you enjoy or benefit from your work?

I'm curious about these answers largely because I'm trying to get a better sense of what your options are. It could be that you have more influence than you realize and/or your focus could use a shift.

I know in my past, I've been concerned about feeling threatened by coworker performance and what is being said behind my back, but when I changed my focus, my job became MUCH more pleasant. With a bit more information about your feelings about and performance in your job, maybe people on the forum can help you find a renewed purpose in your work that depends less on the opinions of others. You can only influence the opinions of others. You can't control them. So let's explore what you really do have control over to find some solutions.

Trust me. I've cried in the work bathroom before. And plenty of other places. It sucks, big time. But it doesn't have to be that way.