PEER PRESSURE
Peer Pressure is defined as the influence of our peer group, such as friends, cousins, and acquaintances, on us to conform to certain behaviors/lifestyles in order to fit in.
During adolescence, peer group values and attitudes have a stronger influence than family values. Because friends have such a strong influence on behavior during adolescence, it is the time when a person is most vulnerable to peer pressure. Peer pressure has been described as a hallmark of adolescence.
Peer pressure isn’t just a problem for teenagers; it’s also a problem for adults who succumb to it. In an Indian context, “Log Kya Kahenge” (What Will People Say) is perhaps the most widely accepted, indirect, and insidious form of peer pressure. It is frequently used as a tool of shame and fear to force people to conform to a certain standard of behavior, which has negative consequences for mental health. This type of peer pressure prevents a person from making decisions about their career, passions, personal style, or even life partners. When we make choices we don’t want to make, it creates a sense of unhappiness and dissatisfaction in our lives. It can cause major stress, family discord, relationship failure, and work burnout, all of which can lead to poor mental health and quality of life. The pressure to conform to societal and cultural norms is always accompanied by a fear of what others will say about you. Those who do not conform and do not succumb to this fear are accused of being guilty. For those who try to resist this type of peer pressure, guilt is another side effect.
The following are some of the reasons why people succumb to peer pressure:
- To develop a sense of belongingness: They want to be liked and appreciated in order to feel like they belong. This can extend to making concessions in order to fit in with the group.
- Fear of being singled out: They are afraid that if they don’t fit in with the group, others will make fun of them or think they are strange.
- Experimenting: They are eager to try something new that they have seen others do. They don’t want to be left out in terms of personal connections and experiences.
Peer pressure is strongest in teenagers when it comes to fashion, taste, appearance, ideology, and values. To be accepted, adolescents may engage in activities such as drinking, smoking, drug use, and dating. These activities are seen as part of a group’s identity, so they believe they must learn to do them in order to be accepted into the group. On the other hand, we may lose our individuality in the process.
Peer Pressure and Its Consequences
When youth are encouraged to engage in positive behavior and altruistic acts, such as volunteering for a charity or excelling in school, peer pressure can have a positive impact.
- Positive Effect: In today’s society, peer pressure appears to play a positive role, particularly in areas such as fitness, nutrition, reading books and novels, and watching intellectual movies and television series. It has the potential to motivate people to act with kindness, compassion, and altruism, as well as to attend school regularly and engage in healthy physical activities.
- Negative Peer Pressure: Negative peer pressure includes agreeing to harmful habits and attitudes such as junk food, smoking, and substance use, as well as engaging in immoral acts such as lying, bullying and excessive shopping in order to fit in with the peer group. Peer pressure, both spoken and unspoken, plays a significant role in substance abuse.
How Can Counseling Assist You?
- Counseling will assist you in learning to say NO while respecting others’ rights.
- Allows for a better understanding of negative beliefs and aids in their challenge.
- Prepare you to deal with a conflict that may arise as a result of peer pressure and one’s own personal values and beliefs.
- Empower yourself to reach your full potential and have more self-confidence in who you are.
- Having a clear understanding of our core values and beliefs.
- Confiding in a responsible adult.