Do you feel like everyone around you has more friends? You’re not alone

Most people have had that feeling – the fear that other people around you have more friends, and are generally having a better time than you are.

That feeling is alarmingly common, new research has shown – and merely thinking it can actually harm your wellbeing.

Researchers from the University of British Columbia interviewed 400 first-year students about their lives – and what they thought other people were doing.

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More than half of the students – 55% assumed other people had more friends than they did, and just 26% believed they had more friends than average.

Students estimated that they spent 31% of their time alone – but estimated that their classmates spent just 22% of their time on their own.

The belief that others have more friends was strongly tied to low levels of happiness and wellbeing, the researchers found.

‘Even if you’re someone who is doing pretty well socially, if you think everyone else has more friends, you experience lower levels of well-being and belonging,’ said study lead Ashley Whillans.

‘We hope this paper normalizes the idea that it’s OK to feel like others are more socially successful than you are when you move to a new community.’