Searching for words/phrases/expressions to describe competitive struggling

Question

You know how when you talk to someone about a bad time you're going through, and they feel the urge to one-up you to achieve some sort of imaginary victory point?

E.g.

School is challenging because I have to catch a bus early in the morning.
Pfft, that's nothing, I used to have to WALK to school.

I did the dishes and the laundry this morning so I'm a little tired.
You're tired from that? That's nothing, I swept and mopped my entire house AND my parents' house, I'M tired.

Are there words/phrases that describe this behaviour? Either as verbs to describe the act itself, or as nouns to describe the competition.

I've seen "struggle Olympics" used before and that's pretty accurate but I'm pretty sure that's just internet slang.

Answer 1

Lo and behold! Here it is, right in the OED:

one-downmanship n.
The art or practice of being or appearing to be at a disadvantage. Cf. one-down adv., one-upmanship n.
_{Source: Oxford English Dictionary — one-downmanship (login required)}

Usage examples there start at 1961.

The tricky part is if you need a verb; while one-up can easily be found in common use,* one-down can’t.

It’s only a hop and skip away, though, from finding its way into the books. Go boldly.

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*_{See, e.g., this from the OED: John Wintermeyer..one-upped the socialists by endorsing the Saskatchewan plan. (1963, Canada Month March 10/1)}