Standing up to peer pressure

It’s good to be part of a group, to feel that you belong, to enjoy the same things as others.

But the opposite is true if it means that you are pressurised to do something you wouldn’t normally do, or prevented from doing something you would like to do.

It can be hard to resist ‘peer pressure’ when it comes from the people you want to be accepted by the most; the people you look up to, your family, friends, people in the community, people at school, fans of your favourite football club or bands.

Any of these people or groups can put pressure on you to conform to their expectations and behaviours, which could be dressing in a certain way or hanging out in certain places; it can also mean pressure to drink or take drugs or maybe miss school.

Sometimes you can create your own pressure, when you feel different or that you don’t belong, you have a strong desire to be accepted, like when you have moved to a new school. When you are feeling lonely or insecure you are more likely to give in to pressure to do things just to fit in or make new friends.

But you don’t have to give in to peer pressure.

You can still be you and be part of a group.

You just have to decide what is best for you, what you want to do and what you don’t or won’t.

You can share lots of interests with other people but you don’t have to do everything they do. You can support a football team but you don’t have to spray paint its name all over town. You can enjoy Marilyn Manson’s music without dressing like him.