HOW CAN PEER PRESSURE LEAD TO SUBSTANCE ABUSE

By  The Cedars 

Environmental norms:

A person may experience pressure to adhere to what is socially acceptable or deemed “normal” among their peer group.

Direct pressure:

Direct pressure comes from peers urging a person to act, either with the threat of violence, blackmail or imposing their biases on you.

Indirect pressure:

Instead of trying to convince someone to partake in an activity, you let them assume that without joining in, they are not welcome in this social setting.

Negative peer pressure and how it works

Negative peer group pressure and addiction have a high correlation with one another. This type of peer pressure is the most common and destructive as it leads to someone engaging in unhealthy behaviours, including drug or alcohol use and even addictive behaviours like sexual acts.

How to deal with peer pressure

Identifying cases of peer pressure and how susceptible you may be to social pressures requires introspection and critical evaluation of your surroundings.