The Influence of Peer Pressure on Teens and Young Adults

To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is an accomplishment. It is very easy to get influenced by someone during your glorious youth years, and the pressure is more so when everyone around you seems to be doing the same-and that is precisely what peer pressure is. We live in an era where everyone is in a constant struggle to “fit in” and be “cool” so that we’re not labelled as ‘outcasts’ or ‘weirdos’ but this can influence us to make some very questionable decisions. The brains of teens and young adults are not entirely developed and they tend to have low confidence which makes it easy to sway their judgement and in turn have them follow the footsteps of their peers which might not be inherently right. It can be very stressful to resist peer pressure and even more when it’s your own friends pressuring you, but it’s important that you be true to who you are and only do what you think is right. The company that you keep plays a huge role in influencing and impacting your choices and though good company and positive pressure can motivate you, bad company can corrupt you and take you down the wrong path. The best way to resist peer pressure is to be true to yourself, stand your moral ground and know your company and tell a trusted adult or friend. Do not underestimate yourself be comparing yourself to others, it's our differences that make us beautiful and unique.