Jealousy and envy are natural emotions in human beings.
The first thing to understand is that we have all felt one or the other at some stage of our lives. There is no need to be ashamed or blame, but you do need to understand what they consist of and why they appear.
There are substantial differences between jealousy and envy Although they seem to be the same, in reality each of them defines a feeling, a circumstance and a different reaction. We explain what these differences are to help you identify between the two emotions.
The differences between jealousy and envy
It is not the same to feel jealous than to feel envy. Just as it is not the same to be a jealous person or to be an envious person. In other words, both feelings can occur to all of us at specific moments, and that does not make us define ourselves as jealous and/or envious.
However, there are people who do present a repeated attitude of jealousy or envy towards those with whom they live on a daily basis. This can lead to pathologies, that is why it is important to understand the differences and characteristic features of envy and jealousy
one. Definition and concept
To understand the difference between jealousy and envy, you need to know their respective definitions.
From the very meaning of the words that each of these emotions have, we are giving light to the fact that each one of them expresses different situations, reactions and feelings, and therefore at the same time there is a whole particular context that defines them.
A. Envy
Envy refers to the negative reaction that someone has for not having something that another does have This reaction can be sadness, anger or frustration and it manifests itself when we want for ourselves what someone else has. Although it does not only refer to the possession of material objects, there is also envy for achievements, relationships or friendships, or other intangible things.
B. Jealousy
Jealousy is the feeling produced by the idea of losing something valuable to us in the hands of someone else It refers above all to losing the affection or love of those whom we love, but because a third person appears. Jealousy not only occurs in relationships, it also occurs with friends and family.
2. Reactions and emotions
The reactions and emotions that cause jealousy or envy are usually different.Due to the very nature of these emotions, each one produces a reaction as a consequence of the feeling. That is, while jealousy manifests itself with fear, envy often generates anger
Behind jealousy there is insecurity, and this is based on the excessive fear of losing the loved one and the reactions can range from sadness, anxiety, anguish or to violent attitudes ranging from shouting and complaints, even physical assaults. When jealousy is experienced by children or adolescents, it is necessary to help them with the management of this emotion in order to make them recover the security of the love of their parents or family.
On the other hand, envy produces sadness or anger for not having or believing that we cannot have the same thing that another person has and that we would like for ourselves. Although the daily reaction to the feeling of envy is anger, there are also people who present depressive symptoms.
In addition, this can lead to a loss of self-confidence as you feel incapable of obtaining what you want.
3. What causes them
Another substantial difference between jealousy and envy is what causes them, that is, the causes. As already mentioned, there are very specific characteristics that define in which cases the emotion is envy and in which other situations it is jealousy. Each one is caused by different circumstances that are very easy to identify.
What causes jealousy is the uncertainty of losing the affection of someone we love because of the possibility that someone else will replace us. For example, children feel that they lose their parents' love when a sibling arrives or if they see them being affectionate with someone else. The same goes for your partner or friends. That is, jealousy is caused by the relationship or closeness of our loved ones with someone else and the insecurity we have in the face of this.
On the other hand, envy is caused by the frustration of witnessing that someone has something that we want. If a person obtains a triumph or recognition, is the owner of something material, or of a lifestyle that we desire, if they have a partner that we would like to have or have some physical attribute that we do not have, then a feeling of frustration is caused. and later sadness or anger at different levels.
4. Pathological
Jealousy and envy can lead to a pathological attitude When any of these emotions exceed normal parameters and negatively take over the people, there is a risk of developing pathological jealousy or envy that goes beyond a mere passing sensation normal in any human being.
This is a substantial difference between jealousy and envy. “Unhe althy” or pathological jealousy is more common than pathological envy.When a person's security and self-esteem is deeply affected, the feeling of jealousy is magnified and they overreact. That is, the feeling of jealousy does not end in sadness in the face of uncertainty, but the person begins to take hostile and even violent actions.
Although envy can also develop unhe althy pathological attitudes, these rarely reach levels as harmful as in the case of jealousy. The person who feels envy can feel tormented by the feeling of frustration, and far from finding the right ways to achieve what they would like to have, they focus their energies on taking away to someone else what makes them envious.
This dynamic becomes complex and undoubtedly affects the emotional stability of those who live with this constant feeling of envy.