By Abdulhafi z Mohammed
Usually, the term peer pressure is used when people are talking about behaviors that are not considered socially acceptable or desirable.
Peer pressure can be negative or positive influence that one peer, or a group has on another. Peer pressure can be viewed from three perspectives. They are;
– Spoken/unspoken peer pressure
– Direct/indirect peer pressure
– Positive/negative peer pressure
Spoken peer pressure is simply when a friend verbally influences another to do something either good or bad. While Unspoken peer pressure is when there is no verbal influence. However, there is still a standard set by the group to behave in a certain manner. This is not spoken but the teen feels pressured to partake in activities his peers are engaging in mainly because they do it in front of them.
Meanwhile, Direct peer pressure is when a person intentionally uses verbal or non-verbal cues to force a peer to do something with them. Indirect peer pressure is when there is no form of verbal or non-verbal pressure but the environment which they stay can influence them to engage in certain activities they see around them.
Positive peer pressure is when a person is influenced by others to engage in a beneficial or productive behavior. While Negative peer pressure is the influence a person faces to do something bad usually to fit into a group.
Peer pressure or the desire to impress their peers can override teen’s fear of taking risks, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse for Kids. 7 Risky behavior with drugs and/or alcohol may result in the following:
• Accidents
• Addiction
• Alcohol or drug poisoning
• Asphyxiation
• Driving under the influence (of alcohol or other drugs)
• Overdose
Although parents worry about the influence of peers, overall, parents also can have a strong influence on whether children succumb to negative peer pressure.
Rather than worrying about the effects of their children’s friendships, parents would do well to focus on creating a positive, supportive home environment. That way, even if your child is peer pressured to do something they don’t want to do, they’ll feel comfortable coming to you to talk about it first.
Role modeling, good emotional self-regulation may also help your child stick to their own values when it comes to peer pressure. Self-regulation involves the ability to control thoughts, emotions, and behaviors in order to manage current behavior and achieve long-term goals.
This will teach your child positive ways of solving problems and coping with uncomfortable feelings, rather than trying to escape by doing things to fit into a crowd. Peer pressure to take potentially harmful risks can be balanced by parents ensuring that they set appropriate boundaries, provide support, and help to avoid risks.
Dealing with peer pressure can be difficult, but below are some ways to help address it.
Take Your Time
Instead of quickly agreeing to do something you would rather not do, pause and take a few deep breaths.
Consider Your Reasons
When you’re faced with a choice, ask yourself what your reasons are for doing something. If it’s because all of your friends are doing it and you’re afraid they won’t talk to you if you don’t join them, then you may want to reconsider.
You deserve to surround yourself with supportive people who respect your decisions—not people who pressure you into doing something that doesn’t feel right.
Set Boundaries
Saying ‘no’ can be hard, but it’s necessary to set healthy boundaries in relationships. If someone persistently pressures you to do something, you can try telling them how it affects you.
Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to peer pressure because they are at a stage of development when they are separating more from their parents’ influence, but have not yet established their own values or understanding about human relationships or the consequences of their behavior.
All In all, peer pressure is one of the major factors that mold the life of a teenager, teens should be able to handle this pressure by accepting the positive part and abstaining from the negative part.