Teen peer pressure is as old as time and may be the topic of many teen shows and movies that you watch. The definition of peer pressure is being influenced to do something you would not normally do because you want to feel accepted or valued with your friends. Sometimes this influence can be positive, and sometimes, depending on the friends that you choose to associate with, this can create negative effects on your life.
Experimenting with activities that a friend suggests such as drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, JUULing, theft, or sex to name a few, may have adverse consequences when your intention was to try something new or to be popular. While this may seem like what everyone else does, you could be unknowingly peer pressured to do something that could get you spiraling out of control before you realize what is happening.
You can adopt bad habits
Although you may think that the activity that you are being asked to do is one and done, the truth is there is a strong possibly that you could start and not be able to stop. What seems like an innocent dare or some research could turn into a habit that could affect your health, your relationships, your school, and your emotional state. If you think something feels uncomfortable or lame, trust your instincts because you may be going down a path that will be hard to come back up from.
You can lose your individuality
What makes you YOU is the very best part of you. If you start doing what others do, even if you do not believe in it, you will become them instead of remaining the beautiful individual you are. Being influenced to wear certain clothes, told who you can hang around with, listening to music you do not enjoy to merely fit in, or making fun others that you really like are all ways that you become less like you and more like someone else. Be proud of who you are and stick to what you really want to be.
You can make trouble for yourself
If someone else that you thought was cool was jumping out a plane without a parachute, would you follow suit? Probably not and so don't make impulsive decisions based on being in the click that you deem to be the most popular. Make decisions based off sound judgement and you will experience better results.
Peer pressure may seem like the thing to do to get others to like you, but if you were to take a poll with adults, many of the friends they thought would be in their life forever are just a blip in their past. Popularity may seem like everything to you right now in school but making the right decisions for what you truly need is way more important.
Stonewater Adolescent Recovery Center leads the way with progressive, evidence-based programming to most effectively treat each individual adolescent while focusing on the uniqueness of each client. Healing the mind, the body, and the spirit as one in the same can make the biggest difference in staying sober.
Call us today to start living in recovery:
662-598-4214