The pressure to adapt (doing what others are doing) can be strong and hard to resist. One can feel pressured to do something just because others do it (or say they do it). Peer pressure can affect a person to do something relatively harmless - or something with more serious consequences. Giving up the pressure to dress in one way is one thing - being with people, drinking or smoking is another.
Almost everyone sometimes gets into a special state of coercion with a partner. No matter how wisely you choose your friends or how well you think you know them, sooner or later you will have to make difficult decisions and become unpopular. It can be something as simple as resisting the pressure of spending hard-earned money on childcare with the latest MP3 player, which is "all in". Or it may mean that you decide to get up because you do not look attractive for your group.
Decide in advance - and even practice it - what you will say and do. Learn some tricks. For example, if you have a bottle of water or a can of soda in your hand, you are less likely to get a drink you don't like. Arrange a "bail-out" sentence that you can use with your parents without losing face to your peers. You can call home from a party where you have the urge to drink alcohol and say, "Can you bring me home? My ear hurts a lot."
Learn to feel comfortable by saying "no". You don't have to explain or apologize to good friends. But if you feel you need an apology, say, for refusing to drink or smoke, consider a few lines that you can use at random. You can always say, "No, thank you, I have a karate belt test next week and I'm already training," or "No, my uncle died of cirrhosis, and I didn't even look after alcohol."
Communicate with people who feel the same way you do. Choose friends to talk to you when you need moral support, and talk to your friend quickly the same way. If you hear a faint voice telling you that the situation is not good, it is likely that others will hear it. Only one person standing by you against peer pressure makes it easier for two people to resist.
Blame your parents, "Are you kidding? If my mother finds it, I'll kill her and where her spies are."
Comments
Post a Comment