Peer pressure refers to the social pressure by member's of one's peer group to take a certain action, adopt certain values, or otherwise conform in order to be adapted. Like everything else, peer pressure has its pros and cons.
Teenagers are a process in progress. They are curious beings, who would push the envelope by trying to explore boundaries in a bit to find their personality. They are therefore curious and adventurous. They would jump at a drop of a hat to experiment in the name of flapping their wings, ready for adulthood. Statistics would attest to this. About twenty percent of preteens and teenagers have tried smoking. Sixty-six percent have tried alcohol because it seems so fascinating that adults seem to embrace and enjoy this forbidden fruit. Being young and impressionable, youths do irrational things, which they like, without weighing the consequences. Most do it on a dare and that could be a good or a bad thing. Sometimes, consequences can lead to depression and making the wrong decisions, which can be like a whirlpool of self-destruction. Yet when questioned, youths often gives a deadpan answer that most would do it to avoid being ostracized.
The most vulnerable victims of peer pressure are those with low self- esteem. Youths succumb to peer pressure and some cannot live without companions. Imagine being ostracized, one would stick out like a sore thumb. Depression would definitely set in as one feels lost and unworthy. Severe stress from peer pressure can lead to self-mutilation. Some may get so desperate that they compromise their beliefs and moral values just to fit it.
When empowered properly, peer pressure motivates the unmotivated; one might feel the need to join his group of friends in doing something good. Someone may feel intimidated because of a speech impediment or be dyslexic. With peers who do not sneer at them, but rather sit with them patiently and engineer them towards the right path, they might just not be as much of an introvert which they used to be. As people come from all walks of life and facets of a community, peer pressure, the one that ends on a positive note would reap benefits to both the individual and the community at large.
Running a campaign in school which pairs positive role models with vulnerable youths could empower a positive spin and this could be passed on to the next generation. Goals should be set and more talks should be organised in primary and secondary schools regarding the influence of peer pressure. A support base like a helpline should also be set up so that any one depressed or in despair can reach out and convert their negative experience into positive drive to achieve their goals. One thing is for sure, with anything, one has to be focused and steadfast, persevere in the face of adversities and focus on important things on the agenda.
All in all, peer pressure can be a calamity or a blessing, regarding on how it influences one. Always keep in mind that good things should be preserved while bad ones should be discarded.
