LinkedIn found that a massive 75% of those aged 25-33 suffer a quarter-life crisis. Among these people, nearly half (48%) said comparing themselves to their (apparently) more successful friends triggered the dilemma. The effect was more pronounced among women than men (51% versus 41%).

It’s perhaps no surprise that in this age of chronic over-sharing, we’re feeling the pressure to match up to others’ achievements more than ever before. And it seems that – as the LinkedIn study indicates – women are especially prone to falling into the comparison trap.

“As women, we’re conditioned to measure ourselves against our peers because it’s a way to give ourselves validation and approval,” psychologist Dr Marissa Wolfe tells Stylist. “Men are socialised to be more accepting of themselves. The men I work with benchmark in measurable areas like salary and performance but don’t tend to compare themselves in the highly subjective areas my female clients use.”

It’s exhausting because no matter how much we achieve, it feels like it’s never enough. But the best way of overcoming comparison, according to Dr Wolfe, is to be aware of how fruitless it is. “I see it becoming stronger in clients who panic about […] not being where they feel they ‘should’ be,” she says. “It ebbs as people age and begin to inhabit themselves in a more comfortable way. My happiest clients are the ones who notice that pang of comparison and mindfully unpack it, asking, ‘Would this work for me? Does it make me feel good?’”

Successful friends are one of the major reasons for a quarter-life crisis