Positive and Negative Effects of Peer Pressure
Introduction
We all have been through peer pressure at some phase of our life. It is described as a phenomenon where a person gets influenced by the thinking, behavior and lifestyles of its peers. By spending a lot of time with peers, all these things start to make a deep impact on the mind of a person. It creates an urge to change their present ways of living life to suit their taste. If a person is in good company, that peer pressure proves to be beneficial, else it can be damaging for him. Here, in this article, we will understand how peer pressure can impact a person in a positive and negative way.
The Positive Effects of Peer Pressure:
Help you to adopt good habits
Peer pressure is not always bad. It can be good too. If you have a positive and motivating peer who focuses on healthy living and shows cultured behavior, and good traits, then such company can be very beneficial for you. Such benefits can be in terms of health, investment, lifestyle or any other thing. A friend who is health conscious, would encourage you on healthy eating and regular exercising. With his company, you can learn to stay fit and healthy. If your friend has a good habit to save money every month, then in his company you can also make small savings that can turn out big investments in future.
Help you excel in studies
If your friends are scholars, or champions, and you are average in all spheres of life, then this can also act as a peer pressure. You will feel motivated to challenge them in studies, sports or any other field. Such type of peer pressure, where you engage in healthy competition to compete with your friends to enhance your capabilities is considered good. You can hone your talent like playing guitar, singing, dancing etc. and showcase them your skills, to get appreciation and feel at par with them. Such competition is beneficial for the growth of the person.
Makes you a better person
With good friends, you become a better person. Peer pressure can assist in analyzing yourself and also contemplate on the methods of life. So, you become a better version of yourself. Pick your group selectively, so as to bring positive changes in your life. Your peers can teach you a lot of good things about yourself and life. They would bring positive changes in yourself, that can benefit you for the whole life.
If you have been a materialistic kind of person, and live in the company of a spiritual friend, then he can take you to the inner journey of the soul. You will learn that money is not the only thing that can buy you happiness, but doing noble works, and service can give you deep sense of fulfillment.
Help you live a fulfilling life
If you have been an introvert person, with a laid-back personality, and your friends are quite social and extrovert, then they help you a bit to enhance your personality. They bring positive makeover in your look and lifestyle to make you feel better about yourself. Peers can inspire you to bring a constructive variation in your life. They have a positive impact on the life and lead you to form the correct choices for yourself.
Negative effects of peer pressure:
Go against your will
Sometimes peer pressure can change a good person into a bad person. There have been several incidences in the past where an innocent person in the company of bad friends, got addicted to bad habits such as smoking, drinking, drugs etc. If you do not live a life like them, then you will be left alone. They will tease and make fun of you. You will feel how backward you are. So, finally you will have to succumb to their pressure and do things against your will.
Destruction of life
Peer pressure can be very devastating to your life. Any wrong decision that you take in pressure of your peers can lead you to a feeling of deep remorse, and sorrow. In some cases, it destroys the entire life of the person. Sometimes, by blindly following your peers, the addiction to bad habits does not leave you for the whole life.
Loss of self-respect
Bad influence of peer results in losing your identity, self-worth and dignity by surrendering to their pressure. By adopting their way of living, you lose your own existence and lifestyle. You feel that they govern your life. You are forced to do things and like things what your peer wants to do. In this way, peer pressure yields a wide range of negative consequences for your life.