[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-detail-49100-en":3,"doc-seo-49100-105":30,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":90},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",{"doc_id":7,"user_id":8,"nickname":9,"user_avatar":10,"doc_module":4,"category_id":11,"category_name":12,"doc_title":13,"doc_description":14,"doc_content":15,"file_id":16,"file_url":17,"file_type":18,"file_size":19,"view_count":20,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":21,"is_downloadable":21,"audit_status":21,"page_count":22,"language":23,"language_code":24,"site_id":25,"html_lang":24,"table_of_contents":26,"faqs":27,"seo_title":13,"seo_description":14,"update_tm":28,"read_time":29},49100,962075114765,"Quinn","https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_a8503ba1806abce46bf441b54a3ca4cd",10,"Lifestyle","Beat the Curse of Comparison","Comparison culture can erode mental wellbeing by driving people to judge their abilities, attitudes, and self-worth against others. The document explains how social media, social comparison theory, and childhood lack of support may intensify envy, low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression. It highlights the “comparison trap” and offers practical guidance: recognize feelings and their causes, stay focused on personal goals, speak openly about emotions, and practice authenticity to reduce pressure and insecurity.","BEATTHE  \nCMMC  \nOF  \nCOMPARISON  \nExhausted trying to keep up with the Joneses?Our experts explain why it's time to stopcontrasting your life with others  \n\n|  | WORDS ROSE GOODMAN   |  |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n|  |  |  |\n| The drive to compare  \u003Cbr>It's not only the younger generation who are  \u003Cbr>in the grip of comparison culture.There's  \u003Cbr>no doubt that social media exposure plays  \u003Cbr>a huge part,thanks to all those manipulated  \u003Cbr>lifestyles and filtered photos,but seeing how  \u003Cbr>we stack up against others isn't just a modern  \u003Cbr>or digital phenomenon.The idea,  \u003Cbr>coined 'social comparison theory,was  \u003Cbr>first developed by social psychologist  \u003Cbr>Leon Festinger in1954,and it refers  \u003Cbr>to how we evaluate our abilities and  \u003Cbr>attitudes,in comparison with others.  \u003Cbr>\"We compare our personal attributes  \u003Cbr>to those that are accepted within society  \u003Cbr>and use this comparison to identify where  \u003Cbr>we fit in and how valuable we are to it;  \u003Cbr>says positive psychologist Dawn Baxter  \u003Cbr>(beyondthedawnblog.com).So,whether  \u003Cbr>youre checking out your neighbour's new  \u003Cbr>kitchen extension,or scrolling througha  \u003Cbr>friend's birthday party photos,you may find  \u003Cbr>yourself asking questions about the people  \u003Cbr>in your social space and analysing how their   |  |  |\n\neel like youre trying to keep pace  \nsituations relate to you.You might think,  \nHow does she keep her home so beautiful  \nwith your more adventurous  \nfriends?Envious of the  \nwhile I struggle to stay on topof housework?  \ncolleagues who can afford to  \nor,'Why does she look much younger than  \nretire early while youre still  \nme when she's actually five years older?  \nslogging away?Comparing yourself to others  \nComing up short  \nis something that we all do-it's human  \ninstinct.Comparison has been hardwired  \nEveryone compares themselves to others  \ninto our DNA for thousands of years,\"  \nto a certain extent,but some of us are  \nexplains therapist Marisa Peer marisapeer  \nmore prone to it.Lack of confidence,  \ncom)]Previously,in order to stay alive,we  \ninsecurity and anxiety can lead to a  \nlearnt how to do things by watching others.  \ngreater tendency to make comparisons,\"  \nIt really was the survival of the fittest.\"  \nsays Marisa.\"Without a baseline of  \nHowever,fast forward to the current day  \nour ownself-worth or success,we  \nand pitting ourselves against our peers  \ncan perceive everyone aroundus to  \nhas become a measuring stick for material  \nbe thriving,and feel frustrated and  \nworth,personal success and life satisfaction,  \nsaddened that wearent measuring up.\"  \noften breeding low self esteem,jealousy and  \nMarisa explains that not getting  \ndepression as a result.One study found that  \nenough support,praise or approval  \nfrom those close to us as a child,leads  \nwe tend to overestimate the happiness and  \nto low self-worth as an adult The result?  \nsuccess of others,while failing to notice any  \nnegatives about their lives-so it comes asno  \nDesperately seeking validation in later  \nsurprise that people canget stuck feeling less  \nlife,through career or personal  \nthan’when comparing themselves to others.  \nachievements-and using others as a  \n# ARE YOU STUCK IN THECOMPARISON TRAP?\n\nTick the statements that you agree with to see if comparing yourselfto others is having a negative impact on your mental health.  \n□ If someone achieves something I′m working towards,I feel like a failure.  \n□ luse Facebook to check up on old friends to see if they'rehappier and more successful than me.  \n□ Iput on a 'brave face'to others and rarely share my problems.  \n□ It can feel like everyone is having a better time than me.  \n□ Imentally measure my body and attractiveness against other women.  \n□ It makes me feel sad and jealous when others have what I want.  \n□ My life is very routine andl don't have exciting experiences.  \nbenchmark for this success.The pull ofcomparison can feel stronger when you'regoing through difficult times too.Forexample,if yo","cbCaikn1GNIYiSI7","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaikn1GNIYiSI7","pdf",968767,2,1,3,"English","en",105,"# The drive to compare\n## The comparison trap\n## The dark side of comparison\n## Free yourself from the cycle\n# Prevent comparison and insecurity from sabotaging wellbeing\n## Stay in your lane\n## Speak your feelings\n## Practise authenticity","[{\"question\":\"How does social comparison theory explain feelings of inadequacy?\",\"answer\":\"It describes how people evaluate their abilities and attitudes by comparing themselves with others, using the result to judge where they fit and how valuable they are. Without a baseline of self-worth, others may seem to be thriving, leading to frustration.\"},{\"question\":\"Why can childhood experiences make comparison worse later in life?\",\"answer\":\"Lack of support, praise, or approval in childhood can create low self-worth as an adult. This can lead people to overestimate others’ happiness and success while missing negatives, increasing the sense of “not measuring up.”\"},{\"question\":\"What practical steps can reduce comparison and insecurity?\",\"answer\":\"The document recommends asking what you feel and where it comes from, staying focused on your own goals, speaking your feelings rather than hiding them, and practicing authenticity both online and offline to avoid the “keeping up with the Joneses” mindset.\"}]",1783572563,5,{"code":4,"msg":31,"data":32},"ok",{"site_id":25,"language":24,"slug":33,"title":13,"keywords":34,"description":14,"schema_data":35,"social_meta":85,"head_meta":87,"extra_data":89,"updated_unix":28},"beat-the-curse-of-comparison","",{"@graph":36,"@context":84},[37,52,67],{"@type":38,"itemListElement":39},"BreadcrumbList",[40,44,47,49],{"item":41,"name":42,"@type":43,"position":21},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":45,"name":46,"@type":43,"position":20},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",{"item":48,"name":12,"@type":43,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/lifestyle/",{"item":50,"name":13,"@type":43,"position":51},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/beat-the-curse-of-comparison/49100/",4,{"url":50,"name":13,"@type":53,"author":54,"headline":13,"publisher":56,"fileFormat":59,"inLanguage":24,"description":14,"dateModified":60,"datePublished":61,"encodingFormat":59,"isAccessibleForFree":62,"interactionStatistic":63},"DigitalDocument",{"name":9,"@type":55},"Person",{"url":41,"name":57,"@type":58},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-07-21","2026-07-09",true,{"@type":64,"interactionType":65,"userInteractionCount":20},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":66},"ViewAction",{"@type":68,"mainEntity":69},"FAQPage",[70,76,80],{"name":71,"@type":72,"acceptedAnswer":73},"How does social comparison theory explain feelings of inadequacy?","Question",{"text":74,"@type":75},"It describes how people evaluate their abilities and attitudes by comparing themselves with others, using the result to judge where they fit and how valuable they are. Without a baseline of self-worth, others may seem to be thriving, leading to frustration.","Answer",{"name":77,"@type":72,"acceptedAnswer":78},"Why can childhood experiences make comparison worse later in life?",{"text":79,"@type":75},"Lack of support, praise, or approval in childhood can create low self-worth as an adult. This can lead people to overestimate others’ happiness and success while missing negatives, increasing the sense of “not measuring up.”",{"name":81,"@type":72,"acceptedAnswer":82},"What practical steps can reduce comparison and insecurity?",{"text":83,"@type":75},"The document recommends asking what you feel and where it comes from, staying focused on your own goals, speaking your feelings rather than hiding them, and practicing authenticity both online and offline to avoid the “keeping up with the Joneses” mindset.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":50,"og:type":86,"og:title":13,"og:site_name":57,"og:description":14},"article",{"robots":88,"canonical":50},"index,follow",{"doc_id":7,"site_id":25},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":91},[92,96,100,104,108,113,118,123,128,131,133],{"id":21,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":93,"show_sort_weight":94,"slug":95},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":20,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":97,"show_sort_weight":98,"slug":99},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":51,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":101,"show_sort_weight":102,"slug":103},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":29,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":105,"show_sort_weight":106,"slug":107},"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":109,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":110,"show_sort_weight":111,"slug":112},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":114,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":115,"show_sort_weight":116,"slug":117},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":119,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":121,"slug":122},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":124,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":125,"show_sort_weight":126,"slug":127},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":126,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":129,"show_sort_weight":126,"slug":130},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":11,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":12,"show_sort_weight":11,"slug":132},"lifestyle",{"id":134,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":46,"category_name":135,"show_sort_weight":29,"slug":136},19,"General","general"]