The Influence of Peer Pressure

Peer pressure is the influence when a certain group exerts pressure on a certain individual which occurs when an individual experiences persuasion due to either force, threats, or even unspoken trends. It is the pressure to adopt certain values, beliefs, goals, or to participate in specific activities. Teengagers are giving in to this type of pressure for may different way such as being accepted, appearing mature, not wanting to insult someone, and not knowing how to get out of a situation. When people are unsure of what to do in social situations, they often look around to their environment to see what others deem as acceptable behavior. Peer pressure can also have a positive effect on the development of adolescents including helping someone develop new skills or helping them stimulate interests in books, music, or extracurricular activities. There are people that are getting peer pressured into something due to them having a lack of knowledge on how to avoid it. The proper way to avoid it is to stay away from kids that make you do dangerous or inappropriate things, hang around the people that can resist this pressure, and you have to learn how to say no to help you get out of situation that make you feel uncomfortable. There needs to be to light shined on this subject because it is an unspoken issue with the common youth.

Peer Pressure is apparent within all age ranges from toddlers, to elementary school kids, to teens to adults. It only becomes more prevalent within teen years because of the generalized desire to fit in with the set trends. From the pressure of fitting in, in the composing the fear of being alone in the social environment.This could impact (at risk) teens to participate in negative activities such as skipping school, smoking, drug use, or making them have sexual relationships before they are ready. In the national Institute of Drug Abuse, “a reported 55% of teens confess to having tried drugs for the first time for the fact that their friends, or peer groups pressured them to do so.

Along with that, 70% of teens who regularly smoke, began smoking because they felt pressured to do so by a peer group”. With these numbers apparent, in the roles that plays in developing adult lives. It shows that peer pressure can start out as something innocent like a trend, and spread into an epidemic, which impacts adolescent lives. Peer pressure isn’t always inherently negative, it can be a positive influence into adolescent lives as well. Peers may stimulate a feeling into developing new skills, stimulate interest in books, music or extracurricular activities. Peer groups are often important to influence the perception of specific impactful resources in adolescent lives. This kind of negative peer influence can be prevented, as the effects of positive peer influence are increased. By focusing on how peer pressure affects development of adolescents, we lessen the effects of negative influences on adolescent lives.

Peer pressure is the generalized term describing, You push to be like other people. whether this be a push to adopt certain beliefs, goals, values, or habits positive or negative. , spoken peer pressure in which someone makes you do something through communication, either verbal or physical. the next is unspoken peer pressure, these are more specific to trends that go to large groups of people without much specific contact.

Your pressure is proven to have an increased risk of tobacco use, drug use, substance abuse, alcoholism, steering, skipping school, academic success, and having sexual relationships. Reasons why people give into peer pressure whether that be to be accepted, to Pure Mature, or the fact that they don’t want to insult someone. Many teens often can form to peer pressure out of fear and the fact that they don’t know how to get out of a certain situations. Certain teenagers whom are low on certainty, individuals who have an absence of a strong leading figure, individuals who are uncertain of themselves, unexperienced, or potentially new to a situation are bound to react to peer pressure. As it is known that people look around to the situation around them to what they deem as acceptable. This causes a ripple effect between teens, if one person begins drinking alcohol, or smoking cigarettes, it becomes a norm for the whole group of people.

This is why we see such high reports of underage substance use. The National Institute of Drug Abuse conducted a study, in 2010 in which they found that; “7.1% smoked cigarettes, and 8.0% used marijuana. This means that over ¼ of high school students have used drugs, at some point within their four years”. The statistics of Alcohol use between high school students is even higher. The national survey on drug use and health, in 2006, survey that my 15 years of age, “more than 50% High School age teens have tried at least one drink. they also report that by 18, the statistic increases by 20%, to prove that more than 70% of teens have tried at least one drink”. We know that behaviour like this begins to be become acceptable among a group. Along with the negative effects of long term exposure to peer pressure.

Peer pressure has been and will continue to be an enormous issue for people of all ages, but more specifically teens. Although, there are ways to help prevent peer pressure, or how to treat its many effects after it has taken its toll. If an individual feels as though they are at risk of being a victim of peer pressure, they should have an open and honest relationship with whoever they associated with the feeling. A few basis ways to start the conversation with someone s to ask why they themselves participate in a given act, whether that be drinking, drug use, sexual deeds, etc. Also, if you are being told by a friend group to participate in acts that make you uncomfortable, you can always find a healthier, more supportive environment. If you or someone you know has already been taken in by peer pressure in any way, they should seek help on whatever issue they are having. The positive side of peer pressure can refer to an individual “pressuring” a friend on acquaintance to stand up and some forward about what they have been going through or gone through in the past.

The goal of both of these solutions is similar, but each is more useful depending on the situation. If you are, for example, in a relationship with a person you trust, but they are making requests you are not yet comfortable with but are feeling pressure to say yes to, this is intentional peer pressure. In this situation, you must bring the topic up to your partner as soon as possible to avoid being a victim of this sort of pressure. In another case, if your group of friends is telling you that something that you do not want to do is “cool” or “trendy” and you should do it to fit in, then getting out of that negative environment is the best thing that you can do for yourself.

In conclusion, peer pressure can be occurring in different ways all around you and it can be really impacting the choices of adolescents. If this act continues exactly like it is to this day the response will remain the same or get worse if nothing gets improved. These teenagers could go down the wrong path in life if remained getting pressured into doing things they are not ready for.

These people start off thinking that these actions are unacceptable to then thinking these things they are okay and soon enough it will be completely acceptable which is why something has to be done. Being surrounded by friends that guide you the correct way is the best option in helping you avoid peer pressure because they will be the ones encouraging you to go in the right direction. We understand it might be difficult to say no especially if it is right then and there is the moment but the consequences will be more harder to deal with than just saying no.To help out with that try saying it in a polite manner like “no thank you” or “Im okay”. If they still continue to pressure you, just simply walk away from them. If there is no friend that you can be around that will help you, encourage you do the right things, or that you feel that you cannot trust than please go to an adult because there is always an adult that will help you get out of situations. Peer pressure is one of the biggest problems in our society that has a mayjor affect on teenager’s development but it is mostly unspoken of which is why something has to be done in order to help our future generation of teenagers.

References

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