Don't Let Your Peers Control You. Do This

Peers are usually people of the same age bracket,rank or social status who usually associate and co-operate with each other.
Pressure in this context however refers to steady influence observed or exerted by peers.In most cases,it leads to alteration of behavior either positively or negatively.

Peer pressure is not an unfamiliar experience as we might at one time or the other be moved to dance to the tune of our peers.Teenagers being fragile,are easily coerced to meet certain standards set by their peers.They eventually screw up while trying to meet these standards.

Peer influence could be positive or negative.A group of teens while preparing for a school examination,might organize study classes.Each member of this study group benefits massively as they share relevant information gotten from their study topic.

On the other hand,negative peer influence can be observed when a teenager adopts harmful habits such as smoking or excessive use of alcohol because he sees the people around him doing the same.It is pertinent to note that one is easily influenced negatively than positively.

How To Resist Negative Peer Influence

To win a war,a soldier must put on his armor before the battle begins.

• Set Proper Standards Of Right And Wrong:This is an advance preparatory measure as you note the reason why such negative influence can be dangerous.Dictate to yourself what you want,as well as do not want.Hence,you wont do something wrong because many others are doing it.

• Be Around People Who Share Your View On The Issue :Staying around the right folks will reduce exposure to negative influence and give you a better chance of affirming "NO" when the need arises.

• Be Calculative:Take note of situations when you might be tempted to do something wrong and avoid them.A person who decides to abstain from alcohol should not attend a gathering where alcohol is likely to be the only drink available.

The Lifeline:Being controlled by your peers is equivalent to being controlled like a robot.Resisting negative peer influence gives you a high degree of self-confidence and makes you feel in control.Therefore,take decisive action when pressured to do the wrong thing.

In the comments box,tell us other steps you think can be adopted to curtail negative peer influence.