People are faced with choices everyday.  What to eat?  Where to go?  What to do?  As a teen, you have to make decisions too but sometimes it can be difficult and confusing because you are still trying to figure out what kind of person you want to be and what you want from life.  This confusion and difficulty means that you are going to be more susceptible to what others say and do.  Although you look to others, especially friends, for advice and guidance, sometimes they pressure you to do things that you shouldn’t or don’t want to do.  This is known as peer pressure.  Peer pressure is the influence of your peers over you.  If you find yourself doing things you wouldn’t normally do because of your friends, then you are experiencing peer pressure.  So how do you respond to such pressure?  How do you act so you won’t hurt your friends and still make the right decision?

      Peer pressure comes in many forms.  Sometimes peer pressure can be unnoticeable like what you wear or how you act to fit in with the kids at school.  This type of peer pressure doesn’t really feel like peer pressure at all because you are unaware of it.  They aren’t telling you what to wear, but you feel you have to dress a certain way to be accepted.  Peer pressure can also be passive like offering someone a beer.  This kind of pressure is passive because it is only an offer and you still have the choice to take it or not.  Sometimes passive peer pressure can turn to more aggressive peer pressure if persistent taunting or teasing occurs when you decline their offer.  You know it has turned aggressive when you feel like you can’t say no or the pressure will continue until you give in.  

      There are different reasons that lead someone to pressure their peers.  Sometimes people with dominant personalities want to control and lead while passive personalities will likely follow even though they may not really want to.  Sometimes the insecurity of being different or left out outweighs the right decision.  Other times a person’s morals, beliefs, or values may cause a person to be an outsider.  This might lead a group to either pressure the outsider to fit in or pick on him for being different.  Ultimately, it is still the pressured person’s decision to give into the pressure or hold to his beliefs.

     When it comes to handling peer pressure, the most important thing is to remember you do not have to do anything you don’t want to.  It is your life and you make the decisions.  If you made a decision because someone pressured you, you may regret it and have to live with it for the rest of your life.  The best way to handle peer pressure is to think of the different outcomes of your decision and choose the one that suits you best.  If you choose not to give in to the peer pressure, it’s okay to tell your friends a simple “no thanks.”  If they are good friends they will understand.  It isn’t necessary to tell them why you don’t want to do what they are pressuring you to do or why you don’t agree with what they are doing.  Do not lecture them on their actions and choices.  It is their life and their decision, however if what they are doing is dangerous or illegal in anyway let them know.  Even if you are dealing with aggressive peer pressure you still have a choice and you can still say no even if it doesn’t feel like it.  A stern “NO” usually does the trick and repeat if it is necessary to show you are serious.  If the taunting and teasing continues or turns to threats, get yourself out of there!  Leave the area as soon as possible and find someone who can help you.  Besides, you can’t be pressured or harassed if you aren’t there.  If your friends are the ones pressuring you aggressively then maybe it’s time to find new friends.

      We all have decisions to make every day and we should be able to make the ones we want without interference.  Sometimes our friends and our peers influence us and pressure us to do something we may not want to.  Sometimes they do this because they are trying to be nice and include you and sometimes they are just controlling and trying to show dominance.  Remember that you always have a choice even if it doesn’t feel like it.  By identifying what type of pressure you are being affected by, you can determine how to handle the situation.