Situation · Family and friends
“My friend always has to one-up my stories”
What could be going on
Name-drops and tracks rank: Fits if they track rank and keep showing they are ahead.
Social comparison: Could be they measure themselves against you all the time.
Talks only about themselves: Fits if your stories become a launch pad for theirs.
Bids for connection: A benign reading: some people match stories to relate; check if they also listen.
Grandiose narcissism: Check whether they need admiration across settings and dismiss others' achievements.
Questions to carry
- In the last story I told, how quickly did my friend's bigger story come?
- Which stories have I stopped telling this friend, and how does that feel?
Also said as
- whatever happens to me happened to her worse
- I mention a holiday and he's been somewhere better
- friend who always tops what I say
- why does my mate always one up me
- friend who one-ups everything
- my friend has to top every story