Have you ever been in a situation where you really didn’t feel like doing something but your peers either indirectly or directly “forced” you to do it? You might have had an experience where you saw your friends drinking or smoking around you, and you felt obliged to drink or smoke as well, just to fit in. If this has ever happened to you, you have unfortunately been the victim of peer pressure. 

Peer pressure is the influence put on an individual by a peer group. These influences force them to do things either because they are forced to, or just simply to impress the group of people around them.

Such peer pressure usually occurs among adolescents while they are in the process of maturing and establishing their mindsets. This is a serious problem because such pressure could result in a distraction from schoolwork and existing, healthy relationships with friends and families. Most importantly, it could change an individual’s behavior. In fact, in extreme situations, it could be really harmful to individuals and ruin their lives.

To avoid these situations, the most general advice adults will give you is to simply cut out your current friendship group and find new friends who can positively impact you. Still, most of us know that this isn’t the best solution because many are afraid to lose their friends, and this is therefore unrealistic in most cases.

You then may be wondering – how can one get away from peer pressure? This article can give you the 4 most realistic pieces of advice on how to get away from peer pressure.

 #1 Choose your friends carefully

 Your friends are a really important factor upon whether you will be exposed to negative peer pressure or not. Real friends who care about you will never force you to do things you don’t want to do. Avoid friends who will make you do uncomfortable things, and keep friends who don’t create an atmosphere of peer pressure near you. Making friends with similar interests can reduce the possibility of peer pressure because you will not have to change yourself to fit into a social group.

#2 Simply say “no” to suppression

Sometimes, offers made by your friends can be really demanding and uncomfortable. In these situations, you shouldn’t be afraid to say “no”. Don’t feel oppressed to do uncomfortable things just to be part of the social group. You should stand up for yourself and strictly reject offers that you don’t feel are right to accept.

#3 Don’t be scared of isolation

If you are currently being affected by peer pressure, you will probably have a hidden fear of being excluded from your social group and being left alone. However, you should always be aware that being alone is also fine. Having some time alone can allow you to always prioritize yourself over others, which leads to higher self-confidence.

#4 Avoid finding yourself in situations that make you uncomfortable and plan out encountering these situations beforehand

If you feel that you can’t do anything listed above, one best way to escape from peer pressure is to simply avoid being in situations where you could be impacted in a negative. Sometimes, there are obvious situations where you can imagine yourself being put under unnecessary pressure. If it is possible, the best solution is for you to avoid being present in such places. However, if this isn’t always the case, always plan out the situation inside your head beforehand and be prepared for how to refuse when you are placed in an uncomfortable situation.