Have you ever felt like someone was trying to push you to do something you didn’t want to? That’s peer pressure. Throughout your high school years, you may experience peer pressure. Peer pressure causes depression, high-stress levels, and negative behavior issues. It also causes an ongoing struggle with your physical and emotional health.

But what exactly is peer pressure? Peer pressure is the wanted feeling of acceptance from your peers. This may cause you to feel pressured to act and do certain things you normally wouldn’t. So it can change your attitude, behavior, and values in your day to day life. Peer pressure is a very common and impactful feeling for students everywhere.

Why is peer pressure so powerful? Having low self-confidence is a big risk factor in destructive behavior. Constantly scared to speak up, students turn to their peers because it boosts their self-esteem. Students are more often than not to be blinded by the negative assistance because they want to belong. Recognizing peer pressure before it happens is a good way to prevent it.

Identifying peer pressure isn’t always easy. But have you been experiencing behavioral changes lately? Do you act in a different way with certain friends? If you have peer pressure you may be feeling like you don’t fit in. This probably comes from the fact that you aren’t like your peers but you want to fit in anyway. Also, doing things you don’t want to is a symptom of peer pressure because you don’t want to come off as uncool or weak. Most students suffer from the peer pressure of drugs/alcohol, sexual activity, and bullying. Yet, people don’t know where to start when it comes to dealing with peer pressure.

Handling peer pressure is a very hard skill to obtain. But, some ways you can handle peer pressure is looking for who you enjoy hanging out with. Also, saying no will gain you respect. As well as, understanding that everyone has their own opinions. A great number of students have been pressured into taking drugs/alcohol and you might feel guilty for accepting it afterward. Talking to a trusted adult/friend will avoid the start of emotional issues and meltdowns. Getting Pushed to participate in sexual activity is a very personal thing and later you may feel vulnerable. So if you’re not emotionally ready, have a talk with your partner and expect them to respect your decision. If you choose sexual activity but regret your choice, don’t blame yourself but learn from the experience so you chose better choices in the future. The peer pressure to bully is a hard thing to restrain from. Your friends let you believe it’s okay at the time, but later leave you feeling ashamed. Don’t define yourself as a bully, we all make mistakes but it doesn’t have to permanently label us. Reflect back and consider how your friends impact the choices you make. It’s not hard to make decisions once you know what your values are.