PROWRITERSHUB W1: PEER PRESSURE - WHAT IS IT? HOW CAN ONE HANDLE IT? By @tenguhatanga

INTRODUCTION

Greeting dear friends, hope you’re all doing well? I am cool too. Welcome to my first entry for this week’s contest PEER PRESSURE. It’s a nice topic and I will be sharing with you my thoughts on this.

Designed using pixelLab

Seeing it makes me thing about 15 years back when this topic was highlighted during an English language class and given as an essay examination. It happened to be a very good topic as it gave me very good lessons which made me not engage in many things out of external influence from anyone.

WHAT IS IT?

Peer pressure is that external influence which a person feels either from his or her environment, friends and family. Sometimes this pressure is not usually realized by the victim if he or she is not focus on who he or she is and what they want.

WHY IS IT COMMON?

Peer pressure in our society is mostly witnessed with the youthful generation due to their tenderness and may not know their left from their right direction. Teenagers are not the only ones been affected by peer pressure as adults too become victims. It becomes common because of the various reasons;

1. DESIRE TO FIT IN

This is a very common phenomenon in our society where many people want to belong either in a social gathering, family or friends. Sometimes you feel you must belong to a certain group of people before you can be called a human person. This is a very wrong mindset which makes people especially youths engage in things they were not supposed to do.

2. LOW SELF-ESTEEM

This is another issue which makes people feel they have no value where they belong. It comes as a result when you don’t first appreciate yourself for who you are and what you are. We find situations where people tend to admire others and want to be like them and if you can’t then low self-esteem sets in. Someone with a low self-esteem can kill himself or herself if they can realize their value and worth. I watched a movie last night THE ADAM PROJECT and from it we can see little been bullied and beaten by his class mates as the find him worthless and he on the other hand didn’t made them feel so as he didn’t know what his value and worth. That wasn’t good but in the end he found himself.

3. FEAR OF REJECTION

A child or a teenager may engage into things out of his or her wish just because of rejection. Been rejected by your friends play a lot on a person and so in cases like this the victims are always misled. Imagine your friends are drug addicts or smokers and you’re not, these bad friends will regard you as not worthy to be in their mist, many will give a condition to smoke and take drugs like them and if you don’t the reject or send you away from the group

4. SAFETY OR SECURITY

Some people feel that their security lies in the hands of others. Actually this is a bad idea to conceal. How can you think you can be safe only when you belong to a certain group? This life is full of ups and downs and so firstly your security lies in your hands and so if you become reckless or join a bad group whatever bad thing that was to happen to you will take effect. Sometimes we realize that these group we feel can secure us will abandon us. Many people have joined groups for many bad reasons.

EXAMPLES OF PEER PRESSURE

There are several example of peer pressure and include;

1. DIRECT PEER PRESSURE

This comes from a social interaction with friends who will impose or makes you do things will impact your life. It can be in the form of;

• Spoken Peer Pressure
This is a case where a person is asked by a group or a friend or family to engage in to some things they may want or may not want. Many at times friends will persuade another to smoke, drink, steal or commit so many crimes. On a positive side these friends could still advise you to step away from a bad situation or help you progress in life

2. INDIRECT PEER PRESSURE

This is pressure on an individual which is not been done directly or said. This comes from something seen or heard from somewhere and the person gets affected by it. It come in the form of;

• Unspoken or action Peer Pressure
This one says it all as someone may just decide to copy an act he or she has seen in a friend, family member or group, be it good or bad. For example I grew up in a family where peace and love is the watchword and I saw it been portrayed by my grandfather to the family and so I copied it which has impacted my life positively. These makes me love and value my family from the values I have obtained from them.

3. NEGATIVE PEER PRESSURE

From the word negative we understand what it means. This is pressure caused directly or indirectly which yields a negative outcome. This may involve persons especially teenagers engaging in so many crime waves. This sometimes so disheartening as the persons may not want to come out of that situation of approached to change their ways. Look at my country with the Anglohone crises in Bamenda, we find many young boys taking heavy drugs and carry guns along saying they are taking revenge of their dead friends and family members. Also we have many jobless youths involve in cyber fraud. This brings a negative effect not only to the individual but family and society

" ^Source

4. POSITIVE PEER PRESSURE

This happens to be my best example of peer pressure. Using myself as an example I will say Surround yourself with people with positive vibes or minds”. This is a good one because people who create a positive influence in your life are those you should cherish at all time. Such people will correct your wrongs, give positive opinions and help you grow. These and not the PHD(PULL HIM DOWN) people. In my life I have had such people (my family and 3 friends) who have contributed to my growth, I remain grateful to them.

HOW CAN ONE HANDLE PEER PRESSURE?

Peer pressure is something which should be handled with care and here are my suggestions

• Parents should educate their children about living a good live

• Everyone should be able to identify your talents, try to understand it and exploit it to the fullest

• Never be associated with bad friends

• Do not let anyone tell you what to do. If they do, take time to think before acting

• Make a plan of your life and stay focused always.

CONCLUSION

I have explained above about peer pressure and its impact on an individual’s life. This is a very pertinent aspect which we all should pay attention to so we don’t go the wrong path. Let’s use every action or words from any person as a stepping stone to achieve something great.

Thank you all for reading patiently through my post and remain blessed. Thank you #steemAlive for the contest.

LET’S BE AWARE OF PEER PRESSURE

Subscribe:::Discord.
:::Whatsapp :::join trail :::Steemalive Website