Peer Pressure

Isn’t it difficult to keep on pretending to be someone else just to fit in? Doesn’t it bother you that you cannot act or show who you really are? Why do we pretend? What is this? And most importantly what can we do? Peer pressure is something that is often not noticed but has a great impact on a person’s life. It is something very common in in teenagers and young adults. It affects the thinking and behaviour of youth to a great extent. It can impact there dressing sense, music, choices, even life decisions. We all need acceptance and importance. The fear “what if I don’t fit in?” rules are mind. We often forget that everyone is different and that’s what makes us special. We usually behave according to the expectations of the other group members. This is called “conformity”. And this makes us do things that we necessarily don’t want to. The reason maybe that people feel uncomfortable if they are considered “different” . This “different” may lead to disapproval and dislike by others, which none of us desire. Wanting to be a part of something and to feel accepted can put pressure on us and make us act in a different way. This leads us to do things that we don’t want to do, and not do things that we actually want to do.Peer pressure can be both negative and positive. It is positive when it leads to your growth, when your friends stop you from doing something that you will later regret, when you participate in competitions or join an internship, started working hard because your friend asked you to. That is positive peer pressure. To cite my own personal example, during my high school my friends used to you ask me to study and scored good and forcefully made me participate in in cultural functions. Is benefited me as I scored the highest marks in my whole life and I gained more confidence.But not everyone experiences positive peer pressure. Some might choose to do things that normally they wouldn’t be interested in like smoking, drinking, experimenting drugs, stealing, bullying and teasing, skipping school or bunking college, dieting or body building, taking part in sexual activities, breaking rules, wearing clothes that you don’t prefer, buying something you can’t afford, wearing only designer or branded clothes, etc.Studies show that peer pressure or influence is strongest in early to middle adolescence and that Boys are more likely to give in to peer pressure than girls. People with lower self esteem, and who think that they can never have friends are more likely to be negatively influenced by peers. But they need to believe that they are important and they don’t deserve these toxic friends.Now that everyone has mobile phones and accounts on social media platforms, we can also witness a rise in online peer pressure.

The 5 kinds of peer pressures that happen online:

• Sending nude photos or “body shots”
• Sexting
• Moving a conversation from an approved app to another, sometimes encrypted, app
• Portraying a “perfect” image of your life

These have led to more serious problems.There’s a big difference between being yourself and fitting in. Doing things just to fit in will never make you happy, cause excessive stress and lower your self esteem. It’s not right if it starts disrupting your mental health.SOME WARNING SIGNS ARE :

• low mood, feelings of hopelessness
• Feeling unwanted
• Frustration and unnecessary aggression
• sudden change in behaviour, often for no obvious reason
• trouble falling asleep, sleeping too much or too little
• loss of appetite or over-eating
• reluctant to go out with friends
• withdrawal from activities that you used to like
• You feel like you want to give up, or you start feeling that life is not worth living.

If you happen to witness changes in your behavior or actions as stated above, it indicates that you are succumbing to the peer pressure. It’s a wake up call for you . It’s never too late.WHAT CAN YOU DO?

• First of all love, accept and respect who you are.
• Secondly, Learn to say NO. It’s difficult but it’s important. Say it calmly and in a way that convinces them. If your “friends” are not able to understand that, then it’s time to change them. Hang out with people who share your interests or those who accepts you the way you are, in a group where you do not need to pretend to be someone else. Learn how how to be assertive.
• Lastly, Talk to someone about your situation . If you are feeling threatened, hurt or pressured, talk to a family member or someone you think will understand and help you. If you think that they will not understand you, or react negatively to yours situation, then you can help from apps where you can share your problems and get solutions. WeHeal aap is one of them.

WeHeal is an Android app which aims to heal people. The services provided by the app justifies the name. This app allows you to anonymously share your problems through open letters. The healers (who are the users) provide solutions to your problems. You can even have one to one personal chats with the healers where you can talk about your situation with them. You will be kept anonymous. No one can even take screenshots or do screen recording, which makes it safer to have your chat. It becomes easier to deal with problems when you have someone who understands them. If you’re dealing with overwhelming feelings of pressure, loneliness, stress or anxiety due to peer pressure, it’s important for you to know that help is available to you. This app also allows you to confess something or talk to someone if you need some emotional support or need help to deal with a heartbreak or are having issues in studies, career, relationships or are burdened by problems. Sharing problems and having someone to listen and care, will make you feel light and happy.The app also has three inbuilt modes which provide you with meditation sessions, happiness quiz that will detect your mood, and a mini game to improve your patience level. There are also short inspirational stories, quotes and experiences written by the users which may encourage you.You are brave enough to deal with it, maybe you just need a little push and support. If You need help. You need to free yourself and You need to talk about it, then you can take help from WeHeal app.Remember that peer pressure is something normal and you are not alone.Download the WeHeal app – http://tinyurl.com/weheal