BlueroomcareComparing ourselves to other people is something that is very common among humans; it is something that has been extensively explored by psychologists. While this is something that most people tend to do subconsciously, they compare their careers, relationships, financial and physical appearances to those around them. While done in moderation, this sort of practice is something that may be considered useful.
However, when it turns into a habit, this type of social comparison has been shown to cause anxiety, depression, lack of self-confidence and personal identity. Social media has contributed greatly to making such an occurrence a constant part of our lives and not just a passing one. This article aims to explain how social comparison theory explains why we compare, how such practice affects our mental well-being and how to foster a healthier attitude towards oneself.
Nigeria is a country in which the culture of the internet gives a lot of importance to visible successes. It is the case where the public display of success becomes the norm and at the same time, there is the economic reality of difficulties that many people face to achieve anything. That is the case in which the gap between public display of success and personal experience is widened.
Upward and Downward Social Comparison: What Are the Differences?
Comparison does not work in the same manner for everyone. There are two basic types.
Upward Social Comparison
This involves comparing yourself with people who you feel have a better life compared to yours in terms of success, attractiveness, money, or progress. Studies prove that the type of comparison is the most popular one, and it is also constantly connected with low psychological well-being because of passive social media use and being exposed to idealized images.
Upward social comparison is the most widespread form of social comparison, and it is always related to negative psychological well-being because of passive social media use and idealized content exposure, with reduced self-esteem, impaired emotion regulation, and fear of missing out being the most frequently mentioned consequences.
Downward Social Comparison
This kind of comparison includes comparing yourself with people who you feel are worse than you – a kind of temporary boost in self-esteem, comparing yourself with people below your status. However, while it helps momentarily, research proves that it is hardly helpful in the long run and causes feelings of guilt and a fake feeling of security.
Effects of Social Comparisons on Mental Health
Repetitive social comparison is strongly related to poor mental health states like depression and anxiety. Regular social comparison has a detrimental effect on mental health, leading to the creation of harmful feelings such as envy, guilt, and regret. People who regularly engage in these comparisons tend to exhibit behaviors like self-blame.
In 2026, research conducted in Scientific Reports indicated that social comparison and maladaptive emotion regulation negatively affect mental wellbeing among social media users. This was proven once again by the results of this study since the long-term practice of clinical observation had shown that it is not the act of comparing oneself but rather the way people handle emotions generated by it that dictates its psychological effects.
Mental health implications of repetitive social comparison include low self-esteem, social and performance anxieties, depression caused by falling behind others, body image issues fueled by the ideal body presented, and lack of identity as a result of internal standards being replaced with external ones.
Why Social Media Has Made This Significantly Worse
Comparisons are nothing new. However, social media has fundamentally transformed how they happen – making them constant, measurable and, for the most part, one-directional.
When social media was nonexistent, the comparison group was more or less limited to the people around you; neighbours, co-workers, classmates. Today, there are no limits to your comparison group. You are comparing yourself to the curated versions of people whose lives you will never know.
Studies show a considerable association between the use of social media and the rise of anxiety and depression, particularly in youth and adolescents, as those who often compare themselves on social media not only experience low self-esteem but also feel envy and regret.
In Nigeria, where the flex culture of social media has reached epic proportions, and showing off success is incredibly important socially, it takes on an even greater level of intensity. The social pressures of showing that you are successful through trips, money-making activities, accomplishments, and celebrations exist side-by-side with economic struggles and pressures that most people silently face.
What Is Healthy Comparison?
Comparison does not have to be negative all the time. If used effectively, upward comparison can serve as an inspiration and motivation. This is determined by the result, whether the comparison motivates or devalues and demotivates.
It turns out that upward social comparison does not necessarily cause higher levels of psychological distress and lower levels of self-esteem and that teenagers are able to move away from rigid expectations concerning themselves and set more realistic goals and self-concepts by means of social comparison.
Questions to ask yourself: am I comparing myself backstage to someone else’s highlight reel? Am I comparing results, not taking into account the initial position, different resources, and the amount of time needed to achieve what someone else has achieved? Am I making this comparison in order to learn something useful or simply to prove my inferiority?
Takeaway
Once social comparison turns into a habit or becomes compulsive and associated with a constant feeling of poor self-respect, anxiety or depression, it can be considered not just an irritation, but something that needs clinical attention. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is especially well-suited for uncovering and dealing with thoughts and assumptions behind such harmful social comparison, providing a person with the means to cultivate self-worth that is not based on comparing themselves to others.
If social comparison has been having an impact on your self-esteem, your relationships, and your overall satisfaction with your own life, then a consultation with a therapist from Blueroomcare will be a good start.
- Need support? Start your care journey by booking a confidential therapy session and accessing daily journaling and wellness check-ins through the Blueroomcare App.
- Looking for more guidance? Explore our blog for more mental health tips.
Found this helpful?
Share this article with others who might benefit
