This document discusses peer pressure and how it can influence adolescents. It defines peer pressure as influence from a peer group to change one's values or behaviors. Peer pressure can be positive if it encourages good behaviors, but is often negative and dangerous if it pushes wrong behaviors. Examples of risks from negative peer pressure include internet addiction, violence, substance abuse, and breaking rules. The main reason adolescents feel peer pressure is a desire to be accepted by friends or peers. The document provides tips for dealing with peer pressure, such as making your own decisions, finding other activities, and learning refusal skills like making excuses or recruiting allies.

1. Get Inspired
not influenced

2. Adolescence and FRIENDSHIPS

3. Peer and Peer Pressure?
• Peers are the people around us that are in a similar
situation, like our friends at school or even our friends
outside the school.
• Peer Pressure is an influence when a peer group, or
individual encourages another person to change
their values, or behaviors to suit other people’s
convenience.

4. Types of Peer Pressure
POSITIVE
If it pushes to do the RIGHT THINGS, and is often
GOOD
NEGATIVE
If it pushes to do the WRONG THINGS, and is often
DANGEROUS

5. Outcomes…Risks
# Internet addiction
# Violence
# Underage driving
# Bullying / teasing
# Verbal Abuse
# Substance Abuse
# Breaking rules
# Lying
# Bunking a class/ School
# Overeating /eating unhealthy food
# Attraction towards opposite gender

6. WHY ?
• low self esteem
• lack of confidence
• uncertainty about ones place within a given peer group
• no personal interests exclusive of one's peer group
• feeling isolated from peers and/or family
• poor academic abilities or performance
• fear of one's peers
• lack of strong ties to friends
• feeling that friends could turn on you
• close bond with a bully

7. Why ?
• The only reason…
WE WANT TO BE
ACCEPTED BY
OUR FRIENDS OR
PEERS

8. Dealing with – Peer
Pressure
• Define yourself and do what matters to you.
• Be careful who you hang out with.
• Do things that make you proud of yourself.
• Make your own decisions.
• Find other exciting things to do.
• Establish and reinforce your convictions.
• Keep busy with healthy activities.
• Find better ways to impress people.
• Dismiss the question.
• Tell them "NO!"
• Make a joke.
• Change the subject.
• Make an excuse to leave.
• Turn the pressure around.

9. SAY NO…
• Decide on your position before
speaking
• Don’t apologise when it’s not
necessary
• Don’t make excuses when not
necessary
• Don’t ask permission to say no
• The Broken Record Technique

10. Refusal Skills
• Refuse – “Don’t feel like it.” “No way.”
• Make an excuse – “I’ll barf.” “I have to get up in the
morning.”
• Recruit an ally to help change the dynamics.
• Blame their parents – “My Mom can smell this stuff a mile
away and I’ll get grounded for months.”
• Come up with a better idea – “Nah, that doesn’t sound like
much fun. Let’s go play video games at my house instead.”
• Leave – either quietly while no one notices or by making
an excuse or joke out of it. “You guys are too crazy for me
...see you later.

11. Think before Act..
• Legal ?
• Safety Mechanisms in place?
• Supervision and training as required
• No potential of harm to others
• Don‘t bottle up your feelings
• Develop a social support system
• Maintain a healthy lifestyle
• Seek help

12. THANK YOU