Lifestyle,  Motivation

Peer pressure – Is it still prevalent in current times?

The concept ‘peer pressure’ has been making waves back then when I was in high school. Unsurprisingly it still is in the current curriculum. Why are we still learning about it? The word peer pressure comes from or rather refers to the influences that our peers have on us that initially we didn’t desire. Having to engage into something merely because your friends are doing so and for the fact that you believe they will reject you or think you aren’t as cool if you don’t… that should be a red flag. Some even go to extreme lengths of ‘removing’ others from the squad because of their ability not to succumb to such pressures. I’d like to believe that at some point in my life, I have done certain things that were influenced by peer pressure. I’m not proud of it but I guess that in life we make mistakes. The important part is to learn from it.

Three stories of peer pressure – Anonymously written.

Anonymous 1

I started smoking because all my friends were smoking… I then became addicted. I wish I did not start, because this wasn’t something I wanted to do in the first place.

Anonymous 2

All my friends were doing drugs, which made me feel it was ok to start also.

Anonymous 3

I did a lot of bad things back in high school because all my friends were doing them, I just wanted to fit in.

Signs of peer pressure

Some of the signs to look out for from someone you may suspect that they are victims of peer pressure are a sudden change in behavior. One moment they hate the sight of alcohol and/drugs, the next moment they find it cool? What made them change their mind? 99 percent rules it out as peer pressure. It doesn’t end there, some may even start behaving recklessly and it never ends well because at the end of the day our characters aren’t the same.

Ever heard of the term ‘addictive personality’? The type that when you start doing something and in turn enjoy it, you end up doing to the extreme? It is very dangerous especially when it gets out of control. Considering the fact that too much consumption of alcohol is very bad for your.

I know, peer pressure does not amount only to being ‘forced’ to do drugs or alcohol. It includes being pressured to behave a certain way or joining of crews/gangs, hanging out in certain areas and even behaving a certain way. More often than not, the cool girls who bully the ‘not so cool’ NERDS have been pressured to do so. I must say, there’s a lot to say when it comes to this concept especially in high school. But it definitely doesn’t end there. Peer pressure is not only physical but it gets to a point where social media can be used to pressurize other people. Surprisingly, we fall victim of peer pressure by people we don’t even know. This has been perpetuated through societal standards and expectations.

So to say, peer pressure is still prevalent in current times and has breed bullying through the internet. Known as cyber bullying. Adults have succumbed through such that success is now measured through how you are perceived online. That kind of pressure has then led to people living lives they cannot afford. In turn finding themselves in never ending situations of debt. Should you find a way to deal with such pressures, let us know. Because most often, we envy people’s lives and want to be or live like them, forgetting that we know nothing about how they got where they are. The best way to make it in life, is to focus on you and be the best you can be without looking at the next person with envy but inspiration.

Often when things aren’t going great in your twenties, you start comparing yourself to your friends. Creating for yourself unnecessary pressure. Only to realize that, our paths were designed differently and our successes will therefore come at different times. All you need to do is work towards your goals without allowing what other people are doing taint your passion. You are your own competition after all.

Featured image: Pinterest

All images are not of lolittah

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