The first point I want to make here is that peer pressure is not a bad thing. We all are influenced by our peers, both negatively and positively. It helps define who we are and how we feel about subjects in our lives. It is how we chose to react to peer pressure that defines who we are as an individual.
Are we a leader or a follower? Both types of people are needed to make the world go round. Basically, the difference between negative and positive peer pressure is the outcome. The reverse of the situation above is negative peer pressure. The situation itself is positive peer pressure.
Or is it? What if a teen really doesn’t like sports, but pushes himself to do it to please his friends or to be accepted? Therefore, he probably doesn’t do to well at it, and gets only jabs at his self esteem from the very friends he is trying so hard to impress. That is another form of negative peer pressure. It can be as simple as your classmate asking you to copy your homework and as difficult as your friends wanting you to try drugs for the first time. Negative peer pressure takes place when someone tells you to do things that you know or feel is wrong, hurtful, or dangerous.
Words can hurt. Friends can make you feel so pressured into doing something, you feel you have no choice but to go with the flow. After all, who wants to be called “chicken”? They might tell you, “It’s no big deal. ; or ;Everyone’s doing it. “Life is about making decisions and each decision you make will lead you down a different path. Learn to make good decisions: Weigh the pros and cons.
Understand the negative consequences that can result from a decision YOU make. (By giving in to negative peer pressure, you might get grounded, you could lose people you thought were your friends, you could be put in jail. ) trust yourself to make the responsible choice. Be honest with yourself. Are the risks involved worth damaging your own self-respect? It takes guts to stand up for yourelf. At some point in time, you’ve got to assume responsibility for yourself.
Why not start now’say it like you mean it! When you tell your friend you won’t do something you don’t feel good about, speak with conviction. Speak with sincerity. You’ll be surprised. By asserting yourself honestly and firmly, you might gain respect and admiration from your peers.
Remember you can always walk away and ignore them. Actions sometimes speak louder than words. Do it casually. Do it confidently. Remember, not all peer pressure is negative. Friends can lend a lot of positive support for each other too.
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