Thought.is

15 Insights Into “Obsessive Comparison Disorder” (The Neurosis Of All Social Media Junkies)

Why does everyone seem to have a perfect life, except for me? Hint: It's all just in your head. Shout out to Paul Angone for coming up with this term. 
Mélanie Berliet
August 22, 2016
“We get caught up in what our friends are liking, who our significant others are following, and at the end of the day this not only ruins our lives, but it also ruins us. It creates within us this need to feel important, and in many cases we often put others down to achieve that.”
— Bianca Sparacino, How To Ruin Your Life (Without Even Noticing That You Are)
Tagged: comparison
“Celebrate what you do. Don’t obsess about everything you don’t. Someone’s always going to have bigger boobs, bonuses, and boats. We need to celebrate on the ship we’re sailing, instead of drowning as we attempt to swim to someone else’s.”
— Paul Angone, 3 Ways to Cure Obsessive Comparison Disorder
Tagged: Obsessive Comparison Disorder, Social Media
“Your innate desire for self-improvement causes you to measure yourself against others, which is good if it inspires you to become a better person. It’s when you measure your worth based on others’ opinions, that you start having doubts.”
— Bailey Jackson, How to Stop Comparing Yourself to Others: An Essential Guide to Developing Self-Esteem and Learning How to Stop Being Envious or Jealous of Others
Tagged: Obsessive Comparison Disorder, Doubts
“Don’t compare yourself to others. Compare yourself to the person you were yesterday.”
— Anonymous, Stop Comparing Yourself To Others And Focus On You -- Here's How
Tagged: Self-Worth, Identity
“Because really, that’s what comparison does: it makes life all about me, how I measure up or fall short. And all that self-absorption consumes our mental energy and prevents us from enjoying life.”
— Kay Wills Wyma, I'm Happy for You (Sort Of...Not Really): Finding Contentment in a Culture of Comparison
Tagged: Obsessive Comparison Disorder, comparison, Jealousy
“Rather than worrying about what others think, let’s consider the fact that people just like us are on the other side of those perceived thoughts— probably worried about what we’re thinking of them.”
— Kay Wills Wyma, I'm Happy for You (Sort Of...Not Really): Finding Contentment in a Culture of Comparison
Tagged: Obsessive Comparison Disorder
“Persons appear to us according to the light we throw upon them from our own minds.”
— Laura Ingalls Wilder, Ingalls
Tagged: Perception
“This is one of the main reasons we struggle with insecurity: we’re comparing our behind-the-scenes with everybody else’s highlight reel.”
— Steven Furtick, Crash the Chatterbox: Hearing God's Voice Above All Others
Tagged: Obsessive Comparison Disorder, Insecurity, Inner Voice
“Why, when we know that there's no such thing as perfect, do most of us spend an incredible amount of time and energy trying to be everything to everyone? Is it that we really admire perfection? No -- the truth is that we are actually drawn to people who are real and down-to-earth. We love authenticity and we know that life is messy and imperfect.”
— Brené Brown, Want to be happy? Stop trying to be perfect
Tagged: Perfection, Obsessive Comparison Disorder
“How much time he gains who does not look to see what his neighbor says or does or thinks, but only at what he does himself, to make it just and holy.”
— Marcus Aurelius, Meditations (Dover Thrift Editions)
Tagged: comparison, Gossip, Integrity, Obsessive Comparison Disorder
“People with more strangers as Facebook 'friends' are more likely to believe that others have better lives and that life is not fair, suggesting that the amount of strangers one follows may moderate the association between social network use and well-being.”
— Lisa Rosenthal, Leora Trub, FollowedKaterina Lup, Instagram #Instasad?: Exploring Associations Among Instagram Use, Depressive Symptoms, Negative Social Comparison, and Strangers Followed
Tagged: Obsessive Comparison Disorder
“Comparison is the demise of the mind. It creates a dulling of the creative senses and makes it difficult to satisfy your dreams. The idea that another’s life is more fulfilling than yours is the most nonsensical thought. For you will never be them. And in turn, they will never be you. Your path is only made once.”
— Angela Marino, Read This When You Can’t Stop Comparing Yourself To Other People
Tagged: Obsessive Comparison Disorder
“What’s making you feel like an underachiever? In what area are you lagging? Diagnose the deficiency, figure out the first step and take it. It’s not about closing the gap on others, it’s about closing the gap that divides where you are and where you want to be.”
— Brent Stoller, How to Stop Comparing Yourself to Others
Tagged: Obsessive Comparison Disorder
“Comparison is the death of joy.’”
— Mark Twain, The Complete Works of Mark Twain: The Novels, short stories, essays and satires, travel writing, non-fiction, the complete letters, the complete speeches, and the autobiography of Mark Twain
Tagged: Obsessive Comparison Disorder
“Try to really figure out why someone else’s achievements are brining you down instead of motivating you to do better, and aim to change that mindset of yours.”
— Anita Fosen, 5 Ways To Overcome Jealousy In The Age Of Social Media
Tagged: Obsessive Comparison Disorder