Using the 4-Way Strategy to Eliminate Peer Pressure
I n life, people face many obstacles in their path to success. Peer pressure is an immense complication for teens in our age group today. Not only are teens compelled to do something if their friends are doing it, but these behaviors often lead to harsh circumstances that may trouble them for the rest of their lives.
Colossal numbers of teens today strive to impress their friends and fit in. To do this, teens turn to the most “popular,” or “trendy” choices. Vaping, diet adjustments, and sexual identity transformations are three of the most common decisions. Adolescents today are pressured by their peers, verbally and mentally, to do these things. Even if teens are not told to do something, they may be driven to be just like their peers, to not be the odd one out and fit in. This can be very dangerous in certain situations. Teens make choices daily that could affect their futures, and being in the wrong mindset undeniably sways their decisions.
One choice a teen can be wavered to make is saying “yes” to drugs. Illicit drug use is an extensive dilemma with youth today. Many teens have the common misconception that using drugs is verified through practice of their classmates. They believe that if everyone is using drugs, it must be accepted for them to use drugs too. This is the bitter but accurate truth about our society today. Another decision teens might make is adjusting their diet to fit in with their classmates. Being the ideal weight, height, and size compared to their peers is a considerable burden to put between teens and their social status. They believe having certain qualities will make them “cooler” or more “beloved” by other students. Even though this is entirely contrary to what most students think, many teens will entirely change their appearance to fit in. A last selection t eens will be pressured to make is to transform their sexual identity. As a result of the growing number of students in the LGBTQ+ community, some students feel the need to change their own sexual character. Many students think this is a minor decision, but choosing this will greatly affect their lives in the future.
While there is not one solution to the problem, we can take steps to ensure no one is pressured into something that will have tremendous constraints on their mental or physical health. Before speaking or acting, determine whether what you are about to say is beneficial to the entirety concerned with the statement or action. Also, confirm that what you are about to say or do is fair on the people and ideas involved. By using these strongly thought out questions, you can help compose an enhanced statement or action to benefit everyone participating in the conversation. Using these techniques to help advance our lifestyles will make peer pressure much less of a problem, and will help students make decisions for themselves, not for others.