Can you overcome peer pressure

Using drugs or alcohol. Shoplifting or stealing. Engaging in sexual activity. Engaging in bullying or cyberbullying. What strategies can help handle negative peer pressure? Pay attention to how you feel. Even if your friends seem ok with what is going on, the situation may not be right for you. Plan ahead. Think about how you will respond in different situations. Plan what you can say or what you can do. Talk to the person who is pressuring, let him or her know how it makes you feel and tell the person stop.

Have a secret code to communicate with parents. If your peers don't like your choices, then it's their loss. All in all, you can't get rid of peer pressure; it will always be there.

However, by using the tips above, you will be able to avoid it as much as possible! Make sure to also read our article about networking to strengthen your communication skills which will help build your self confidence. By Shawn Francine Alexandra. What is "Peer Pressure" actually? There are two types of peer pressure: Positive Peer Pressure When you use it properly, this can give others motivation to change. Most of the time, habits you pick up from people won't linger long. For example, maybe when you were in high school, you had frenemies.

You always wanted to get better grades than them or beat them in just about anything, right? Well, this means that your frenemy actually motivated you to study harder and to achieve more, which is definitely a positive thing. Negative Peer Pressure Peer pressure will have negative effects if you use it for the wrong reasons. Could there be a negative outcome? Could you feel bad about yourself for acting against your values or judgment? All important considerations! When it comes to pressures around alcohol and other drug use, something else to think about is that most students overestimate how many of their peers drink or use drugs.

The truth is that many fewer college students drink or use drugs than people assume. It's similar with sex and "hooking up"—most students have a skewed idea of what others are doing. Knowing the facts can help you to resist pressures based on the idea that "everyone is doing it" and that you must party to fit in. When faced with overt or indirect pressure to do something you're not sure about, try using the following strategies:.

Last modified: August 16, UC Santa Cruz. When faced with overt or indirect pressure to do something you're not sure about, try using the following strategies: Give yourself permission to avoid people or situations that don't feel right and leave a situation that becomes uncomfortable. Work on setting boundaries.