Managing Peer Pressure

This video provides strategies for managing peer pressure, including self-reflection, evaluating consequences, suggesting alternatives, expressing oneself, and choosing respectful friends. It emphasizes the importance of standing up for oneself and making decisions based on personal values rather than the desire to fit in.

It may be difficult to avoid peer pressure, so it's important to avoid judging yourself and others when peer pressure plays a role in the decision-making process. Here are a couple of practices to keep in mind to avoid peer pressure: 1. Ask yourself why you have chosen to engage in a certain behavior. Is this something you're involved in because you want to be liked, or because you genuinely want to and enjoy it? 2. Evaluate the consequences of your actions. In some cases, going along with a group may be a great way to try something new. In other cases, you may be taking unnecessary and potentially dangerous risks. 3. Suggest something else. Sometimes, your peers may be feeling the same way as you, and when presented with an alternative, they will happily accept. If your suggestion is not well-received, you can walk away from the behavior you don't wish to participate in, knowing that you voiced a different option and stood up for yourself. 4. Express yourself. Oftentimes, there is a valid reason as to why you cannot or do not wish to do something. Expressing this is an easy way to avoid engaging in unwanted activity or behavior while avoiding potential peer judgment. Saying no, though scary, also shows confidence and can earn you respect from peers. 5. Choose friends you respect and who you look up to. If you trust your friends, peer pressure becomes much less dangerous, as their values are more in line with your own, and they will be less likely to cross boundaries you don't wish to cross either. True friends should want what's best for you and respect your decisions.