International Day against Drug Abuse 2022

How to handle peer pressure

You’re told to do something you’re not comfortable with or would not do otherwise, just to feel like you belong among your peers, which is described as ‘peer pressure’. We go along with this behavior because we want to fit in with others. Peer pressure is when you’re influenced by others’ words or actions to engage in a behavior. Often, peers are considered as friends.

If friends are drinking, smoking, or using drugs, someone who would avoid using these substances on their own may feel that participation will help them fit in with friends. Seeing peers use substances regularly can also give the impression that the substances are safe to use.

Unspoken pressure to conform can play a significant role in substance use. It’s imperative to surround yourself with peers driven by positive outcomes who can, for example, remain calm in highly stressful situations.

Being yourself: a balance for peer pressure and peer influence

Being happy with who you are and your choices and values

·         Building self-compassion. Self-compassion is being kind to yourself and treating yourself with the same warmth, care and understanding you’d give to someone you care about.

·         Building confidence. Confident people can make safe, informed decisions and avoid people and situations that aren’t right for them. You can build confidence by constantly trying new things that would give you a chance of success.

·         Keep the lines of communication open. Open communication requires you to stay connected to those around you. This helps to create a space where peers feel that they can come to each other with their problems.

·         Suggest ways to say no. If saying ‘No’ seems intimidating to you, rather than simply saying ‘No, thanks’, you could say something like ‘No, it makes my asthma worse’, if you have asthma.

·         Give yourself a way out. Leaving an unhealthy situation isn’t easy. It’s a process that takes time, pep talks from friends, and an extra-large dose of self-love. A suggestion could be to engage in a free writing exercise where you write who you truly are and what you truly want/deserve.

·         Encourage a wide social network. If you feel that someone who you care about has friends who are a negative influence, being critical of them might push the person into seeing them even more behind your back.

How to say no to peer pressure

·         Know what’s right. Trust your own feelings about what’s right and wrong. Listen to your conscience, because it is the idea that we know the ethical value of right and wrong by listening to our conscience. That still, small voice inside is what tells us whether something is right or wrong.

·         Have a friend who will stand with you. The relationships that we have in our lives help to form who we are as a person, who we surround ourselves with speaks mountains about us, and to us. It is important to surround yourself with friends where there is room for everyone’s needs.

·         Choose good friends. Developing close friendships can have a powerful impact on your physical health. Research shows that friends are important to our psychological wellness. Whatever your age or circumstances, it’s never too late to make new friends.

·         Help a friend. It’s hard enough to be under peer pressure yourself, but when someone you know is experiencing peer pressure, it can be difficult to know how to help. It can be beneficial to help a friend recognize when a situation is becoming a problem.

·         Walk away. Being able to tell the difference between healthy and unhealthy situations helps us to evaluate our own decisions. If you’re faced with peer pressure while you’re alone, there are still things you can do. You can stay away from peers who pressure you to do stuff you know is wrong.

Types of peer pressure

Most of us just want to fit in with others and because of this desire, we become more sensitive to bullying, being made fun of, or being excluded. These fears drive us to eagerly do things the way our peers tell us to.

Peer pressure can also be positive, for example encouraging friends to save money for a purchase like a car or something equally important or disapproving of risky behavior like under-age drinking.

The positive effects of peer pressure on people can help them by pushing or encouraging them to try out new things and explore new goals. Peers also provide friendship and support.

When peers ask people to change their behavior and appearance to “fit in” then this kind of pressure can also make people feel uncomfortable and can lower their self-confidence and doubt their self-identity.

Are you struggling to cope with peer pressure? We can help.

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