My problem is worse than yours

"Yes. I have the bigger problem. Your problem is manageable. But mine is impossible. I don't know what to do."
Ok. This is not me. Or rather it is not just me. This is what a lot of us say when we have problems. All of us have a set of problems. When my friend, relative, family member mentions their problem, either to draw parallels & thereby console us or may be express their own issues, we immediately get defensive. "My problem is worse. Don't compare. How insensitive of you".
"I am worse of than you. My problem is bigger" - I don't know why we do this. I somehow can't understand why we want to feel that our problem is bigger. Is it ego? That is probably stupid of us.
"I am facing a bigger problem". I guess it could be way to prepare an excuse for ourselves if we fail to tackle it. The idea probably is that - "I am facing a bigger problem. That is why I am not able to manage it. That guy doesn't have that big a problem. That is probably why (s)he is managing." Is it a way to excuse ourselves for inability, incompetence and find a easy way to give up. This could be in some cases.
"My sorrow is bigger." We suffer and we really don't have a way to solve it. It could be missing a loved one who has left you forever. In this case why do we say this. I don't know. Is it because we miss them so much, and feel very lonely and we say these things as a let out.

How do you compare problems and sorrows? Is there really a framework? I would like to know.