Peer Pressure happens when you do things you usually do not do just to fit in society or to get accepted by a group of friends, colleagues, or a group of people in general. You get influenced by them and perform activities that were never your forte. Now, we all know “influence” is not always a bad thing, right? The influence is excellent if it leads to better and healthier habits. Still, that influence leads you towards or encourages you to pick up bad habits and ultimately develop self-destructing behaviors.
Then that is called the Negative Side of Peer Pressure. Whether Peer Pressure is good or bad solely depends upon the company you are talking about, a good company or a bad company. Good company and great minds around you will always add to your good lifestyle, and bad company can do the opposite.
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The positive side of Peer Pressure you need to know
Suppose you are performing good deeds for yourself or society just to be acknowledged by your peers. It may add to your personality and help you grow. Getting influenced by a set of people is something that has its benefits. For instance, listening to Ted Talks by great celebrities and getting influenced by their words is one thing we can count on for excellent personality development. Similarly, being surrounded by good people and brilliant minds can motivate you to adopt healthy habits.
However, no one would want to change their personality, who they were completely, simply to belong somewhere. Influence means having the capacity to have a good effect on your character development. It means you can still partially transform your normal state of being. The impact has to be something that contributes positively or sometimes negatively toward your character development and only changes you somewhat.
When peers motivate you to study hard, teach you how to manage your time efficiently, introduce you to pick up new skills, share their wisdom and experiences with you so that you may learn from their lessons, and when they refrain you from doing anything that might have dire consequences, help you to carry out good deeds for the society in large are the examples of positive peer pressure. Hence, your surroundings and the kind of company of people around you decide the influence you will have.
The impacts of good influence and positive peer pressure are well known. Being surrounded by determined people will help a person perform well. If they are a teenager, their academics may improve because of their great surroundings. They become more attentive and focused because there is no distraction.
The negative side of Peer Pressure you need to know
Everything in this world comes with its good and evil. There is almost nothing that can be purely good, and there is nothing that can be strictly grim. Similarly, peer pressure comes with its negative side. There might be so many habits, kinds of behaviors, and patterns in one’s life that you disapprove of; regardless, you may perform them just to get valued and recognized by your peers. Lousy influence or negative peer pressure often occurs because a person does not want to be left alone or may fear abandonment, so they would do anything, even if it is terrible to get in the group. Negative Peer Pressure might happen at any stage in life, but it is most prevalent in teenagers.
A large number of bad habits like smoking, drinking, becoming a drug addict, or talking back at your elders in a rude manner are some of the many bad habits teenagers pick up in the blink of an eye. Teenagers might do these things because they want to seem cool and fit right in. When it happens, you are no longer yourself. The constructive and progressive way of living that you used to have is no longer keeping up with your current practice of living.
Due to the negative impacts of peer pressure, a person might gradually develop FOMO (fear of missing out.)
The teenager might start to feel that if he does not indulge himself in all those activities, he might have to be alone. This fear further makes them feel low on themselves because most people he is surrounded by are busy taking up their unhealthy habits.
In some instances, the teen may function poorly if such a situation is left unchecked or there is no adult intervention. They may need to improve in academics. They may start to dissociate themselves from friends and family. They may entirely fall into bad company.
Ways to deal with the Negative side of Peer Pressure
Everything comes with remedies as well. There are numerous ways to pull a child back if they are in bad company. Classmates can often influence decisions, especially during teenage years.
- One of the best ways to help a child come out from lousy company is to talk to them patiently. Parents or elder siblings can speak with the teenagers about their experiences and the lessons learned from them. This sort of conversation might help the teenager gain a different perspective.
- At home, a family must ensure that there is a safe space for communication. Proper communication and comprehension will help the teen to talk about his feelings. This way, parents will also learn about what is going on in their child’s life and take the necessary steps to help them.
- Sometimes being a friend to your child helps a great deal. This way, parents may also learn about the company their child is keeping. If they find something wrong, they may intervene and have necessary conversations.
- Using motivating words to help your child feel proud of themselves. Always talk positively to your kid, acknowledge them for their little achievements, and appreciate them for all their daily habits. Parents’ positive attitude toward their children will boost their self-esteem and make them proud.
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Conclusion
Peer Pressure can be both good and bad for teenagers. Healthy conversations with the elders and the right amount of intervention can take care of the destructive impacts of negative peer pressure.
