I spent a couple of hours in the waiting room while a friend of mine was in the psych ward being evaluated for suicidal ideation. I didn't notice anything else going on there.

Still sounds healthier and less chaotic than other families. At least they simmered down to play cards. Other people would be arguing the whole time until asked to leave by staff or leaving out of frustration only to come back and continue arguing later on.

Never been in the waiting room, only in the stretcher. Hard to understand how healing energy or good vibes work. If they work. My first thought is that those people are in the way, and they are there for themselves and being greedy. But if they feel better, it will make them better caretakers during the patients recovery, and that matters.

At the same time, some people believe there is some kind of intangible force that is created by a bunch of people getting together and caring. Call it good vibes, or praying together for someone, or cosmic whatever. But whatever it is, it only seems to work if the patient knows about it. It's real because its measurable, but then again, so is the placebo effect.

This reminds me of a doctors visit. I was sitting in the waiting room when a godperson with a godshirt came in and sat next to me. We talked for a minute or so. Next a guy with a flaming skull and crossbones shirt came in and sat on the other side of me.
I just about started laughing. When the nurse asked for me, I got up and looked back at the two shirts and smiled. I hope they had a nice discussion.

I don't like playing cards. I would rather bring a book or two and pass the time reading if things have moved past the point of conversing anymore with companions. I find reading to be very relaxing...