Peer Pressure

Dishita Joshi

Everyone has peers. Peers may just be children engaged in the similar activities as you or your friends who have similar interests as you or just merely people who belong to the same friend circles as you. You may not consider all your peers to be your friends but they certainly can influence you.

Most people undergo peer pressure in some or the other stages of their lives. Peer pressure can be either negative or positive. When it is positive, it can force you to extend your horizons and be your best. On the other hand, negative peer pressure can turn out to be a bit stressful for people at times if not dealt with properly. It is usually the negative peer pressure that pops up in our minds when we talk about peer pressure.

Peer pressure, that feeling that you have to do something to fit in, be accepted, or be respected, can be tough to deal with. While this can be quite challenging, it is really important to reflect on your own personal values and preferences and make decisions based on those rather than based on peer pressure.

Some strategies that you can use to tackles such situations can be-

• Avoid people or situations that don't feel right. Work on setting boundaries. It's OK for you to do what is best for you.
• When people or situations that make you feel pressured are not avoidable, try the "delay tactic". Give yourself time to think about your decision instead of giving an immediate answer. 
• Check in with yourself. Ask yourself about how you feel about the decisions you are taking, the pros and cons of making the decisions and finally do what seems right to you. 
• Remember that you can't (and don't have to) please everyone and that is okay. This can be hard to accept, but it helps to try.

These are just a few pointers that I find helpful and I really hope you found these helpful in some way or the other too.

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