The desire to be liked by your friends is normal. However, peer pressure sets in when you try to adopt their lifestyle, their habits, and their values in order to be liked by your friends.
Managing peer pressure is not difficult when you are associated with a set of people who have the same likings, preferences, and values like yours. It gets complicated when you try to fit into a group of friends that differ in their choices.
Here are some strategies that might help you in dealing with peer pressure to ensure it has no detrimental effect on your wellbeing:
#1. Learn To Say ‘NO’
The most important thing that you must learn before you tackle peer pressure is the art to say no. In order to not upset your friends with the negative answer, always couple it with a positive line to balance the effect.
#2. Repeat As Many Times As You Want
With friends, you don’t really need to think twice before saying a word. Then, why think twice before saying no to them. Hence, feel free to say no as many times as you want. If they are your genuine friends, they will respect your choice.
#3. Avoid The Scene Before The Situation Arises
Go with your instincts. If you sense that your friends may exert their pressure on you to try smoking, drugs or drinking and will not accept no for an answer, it is best to leave the place before the situation arises. This is when your skills at making excuses come to test!
#4. Keep Questioning Your Instincts
You are the best to judge what is right for you. Hence, keep asking yourself ‘Is everything fine’ or ‘are you ok with this feeling?’. If you do not feel comfortable about something, it’s better to not participate in it.
#5. Expertise In Changing Topics
One of the best ways to dodge a question or a situation is by changing the subject of discussion. You must possess the talent to change the subject of discussion to something that’s more appropriate and comforting for all.
#6. Learn To Differentiate Between Healthy and Unhealthy
Before you go ahead with handling peer pressure, you must learn the basic difference between what is healthy and unhealthy. You must identify the unhealthy dynamics before someone tricks you into having something that may have ill-effects on health.
#7. Pleasing Everyone Is Not Possible
‘You cannot please everyone’; that’s a fact that must be embedded in your brain by now. Some will be happy with your choice, the others will mock you for the choice made, but do not go on a tour to please everyone. The same would mean you are succumbing to peer pressure.
#8. Identify Like-Minded People
It’s important to identify people who share the same liking as yours. Their company will always be more entertaining and fun.
#9. Learn The Delay Tactic
If you ever get caught in a situation that is unavoidable, learn how to delay your decision instead of giving an immediate response. Try averting the question with replies like ‘Give me some time to think’, ‘ok, I’ll think about it’ and more! This will help you buy more time.
#10. Use Excuses To Save Yourself From A Situation
If someone is offering you a drink and you feel that they will not take no for an answer, try resorting to excuses citing medical problem as a reason for not drinking on that day. This will help.
#11. Seek Support In Friend To Say No
How many times have you incurred this problem where you tried to say no but none took regard of the response and continued to exert pressure on you? In such cases, you should take a friend along with you to such parties and ensure they support you in the decision you have taken.
#12. Practice Bystander Intervention
A term used to signify those who stand up for others when they see them in trouble; it can be an effective way to fight against peer pressures collectively. All one needs to do is extend their support to the ones who need it the most.
#13. Parental Advice
Many will not opt for this, but it’s always good to seek parental advice for such situations. They can be the best mentors to guide you through the situation and provide solutions to the problem.
Adopt these smart ways to handle peer pressure! If you wish to add more strategies to the list, kindly use the comment box to share your thoughts and opinions with us.
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