What is Peer Pressure? Tips to Deal with Peer Pressure

Every person has peers. The term ‘peer’ means a group of people or friends of similar age group with similar interests, experiences, who are also involved in similar activities with you or a part of community or group you belong to.

It’s not necessary for all the peers to be your friends and all your peers can influence you either good or bad way. Similarly, peer pressure can be positive or negative which comes from your friends, or a social group and when peer pressure is positive, you’re driven with positive energy that push you to your best and grant you with positive energy and motivation to achieve goals and accomplish tasks. Negative peer pressure is when someone who is a friend or a colleague or a part of a group to which you belong makes you realize that you need to do something to be accepted. Usually, when the phrase “peer pressure” is used it implies negative pressure or influence and giving in to negative peer pressure can make you feel disappointed or blameworthy for acting in certain ways that don’t synchronise with your values. 

What is Peer Pressure? 

Peer pressure can be both good and bad as the science of the human mind is extremely complex, one certain fact is humans are hardwired to point out more value on how they interact or respond within a social setting than when they are alone. According to a study carried out by the University of Southern California, the reward mostly exceeds the risk amongst a group of peers. Thereby, human minds seek for ways and opportunities to achieve peer support, especially when those actions don’t go in alignment with human morals or values. Some common examples of peer pressure in context with common negative ones are shoplifting or stealing, cheating or copying someone else’s work, needing to dress or act in a certain way, getting used to drugs and alcohol, engaging in bullying, cyberbullying or stalking, engaging in sexual activities, taking menacing risks while driving, etc.

Tips to Deal with Peer Pressure

Managing and dealing with peer pressure is a set of skills which can be developed over time. As humans, we are constantly being influenced every single day by the very people we think of as friends, co-workers, clients, and acquaintances. Up to some extent, even strangers can have substantial impact on our actions, thoughts or opinions. Thus, outlining a game plan for tough social interactions can help in reducing some of the stress correlated with peer pressure.

Here are some useful tips to help you deal with peer pressure effectively:

1. Avoid stressful and chaotic situations in the first place

Peer pressure can easily build up to test your resistance and response in stressful, strong negative influential, and chaotic situations. The more you hang around in those situations and moments, the more you get peer pressure build up. Thus, avoiding such stressful environment and situations in the first place is absolutely wise and advisable.

2. Pay close attention how you feel

One needs to pay very close attention to how he feels in certain situation or in around certain people who are creating a stressful situation. If something feels off about the situation, it probably is. And even if your group of people or friends seem to be okay in the situation, it is not necessary you would feel the same. 

3. Learn to say “no” like you mean it

When you’re absolutely sure and certain about the negative vibes associated with the situation or a group of people creating a negative peer pressure for you, it is absolutely right and required to say “NO” and you need to learn it. You need to learn to say no like you mean it and nothing continues beyond that.

4. Plan your response and make decisions on your own

Whether you are familiar with peer pressure moments or not, you need to stay ready with a smart response to deal with peer pressure situations. You need to stand focused on your position and have a “generic” phrase to dodge the peer pressure influences and situations for example, if someone asks and insists you to take drugs or steal or cheat, answer using “I” statements, or you can say, “Nah, no thanks”, to not get side-tracked by talking others out of the idea. Always remember, it is you who can stop you and you who can make you give in to peer pressure situations.

5. Find positive influences

If you are dealing with serious negative influential peer pressure situations and days, it is essential to find yourself positive influences so that you understand the difference between good and bad, positive and negative. And how positive influences make you feel and take you to a whole new level and how negative influential situations can fill you with fear, anger, resent, guilt and regrets.

6. Have a secret code to talk to trusted people

When you have recognized that you are having hard times in dealing with peer pressure and the strong negative influence is hard to resist and fight, always have some trustworthy people such as family, or close friends to talk to. You can also have a pre-planned secret code to talk to them and seek for help and advice you need.

7. Consider the consequences of giving in

Giving in to peer pressure moments and situations can be quite depressive and distressing. You might lose self-worth, self-esteem, and your own values. Thus, when you have recognized that this is the moment you can either give in to the peer pressure or fight it, it is wise to consider all the possible consequences of giving in to it. This would help you to deal with peer pressure situation easily and sensibly.

8. Find new friends or group with same interest and values

Always have friends or a group of people with same interests, values, opinions, or beliefs. If you have noticed the same people have changed their values or are giving in already to their peer pressures, it is wise to avoid such people and friends and find new friends or social circle to deal with peer pressure moments and situations. Because saying “no” together or saying “no” when someone else is also saying it is easier to handle negative peer pressure.

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