Dealing with peer pressure can very stressful. It can be very difficult not to give in to your friends and peers in doing something you do not want to do. As a result, here are 6 tips on how to manage the stresses and anxieties of dealing with peer pressure from others. (Image Credit: Anderson Miranda/ Pexels)
1. Know where you stand on a certain issue: Ask yourself if you are willing to do something that your friends want you to do. Think about it and determine for yourself where you stand on a certain task. Once you decide what you are going to do, don’t change your mind if your friends start to pressure you.
2. Communicate your decision to your friends: Explain to your friends what you plan on doing. Give them reasons on why you feel this way. Be willing to answer your friend’s questions so they understand where you are coming from. If your friends get on your case on a regular basis, then maybe it is best to find other friends.
3. Be firm in your decision and show confidence: Some people will continue to argue with you and this is where you need to show that you mean business. Do not give in to their arguments. Do what is right and stand firm with your decision. This can be tough but remind them that you do not feel comfortable in doing a certain task.
4. Hang out with different people who do respect your decisions: If your friends really like you, they need to respect you. Nobody wants to be with people who are trying to get them into some kind of trouble. You always have the choice to spend your time with the people you like.
Realize that as a beloved child of God, you will want to have friends, and eventually a spouse, who are actually there for you. Friends who want you to get in trouble with them are actually people you need to run, not walk, away from. “Don’t become partners with those who do not believe. For what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?” -2 Corinthians 6:14
5. Do what works best for you: You will have to deal with what could happen if your friends pressure you into doing something that could get you in trouble. If something goes wrong, your friends will not take the blame for you. Think about the consequences before deciding how you want to proceed when dealing with peer pressure.
6. Just walk away: You have the choice to walk away from your friends who are trying to get you to do something you do not want to do. You’re better off to just leave your friends if they are making you anxious and stressed out. All you have to do is to tell your friends that you need some space and then just walk away.
BIOGRAPHY
Stan Popovich is the author of “A Layman’s Guide to Managing Fear Using Psychology, Christianity and Non Resistant Methods”. For more information about Stan and to get some more free mental health advice please visit Stan’s website at http://www.managingfear.com/