Have you ever looked at someone and thought to yourself, I want to be just like them? Well, you probably aren’t the only one. It’s a natural feeling to want to fit in because nobody likes to feel left out. We often try to live up to people’s expectations by allowing a person or group to influence us to do something we normally wouldn’t do. “Peer pressure can be present at school or within a broader community. It can affect people of all ages and backgrounds.” (“Peer Pressure Facts”) There are many different forms of peer pressure we can face, some of which include: direct, indirect, positive and negative pressure.
Direct
Remember that day when your friend came up to you and asked you to ditch school? Or when you were asked to call-in to work? Little did you know at that moment you were a victim of direct pressure. Direct peer pressure is presented personally and leaves you feeling like you only have one choice, to do what they want. On-the-spot situations are some of the hardest to turn away from. They can leave you feeling humiliated, embarrassed and a complete outcast from your friends.
Indirect
It seems from the moment we are able to walk and talk we start idolizing different people in our life. Have you ever noticed your style slightly change to more closely match the crowd around you? Or maybe …show more content…
Drugs, alcohol, and sex are just some of the major activities that people feel pressured into trying. Negative peer pressure can have several different side effects ranging from anxiety to suicide and many in-between. "The Kaiser Foundation reports that about 50% of teenagers feel pressured with regard to sex in relationships." (“Peer Pressure”) If you are giving into negative peer pressure, you are going against your gut feeling and doing something you know isn 't