Under Pressure

Katrina Anne M. Ricarte 1B1 Oct. 4, 2012
English I Prof. Chat Licuanan
Essay- Cause and Effect

Under Pressure Most of the youth nowadays often feel left out by everything and everyone around them. The mindset of teenagers today is that being cool is to be accepted and loved by the people around them. Because of this, they try things which they are not exactly comfortable with, and perform actions which result to the destruction of their personhood. This paper intends to discuss the negative effects of peer pressure on the physical, mental and emotional health of teenagers.

Peer pressure is a social pressure by members of one’s peer group. This pushes an individual to take a particular action, to adopt certain values, and to take in things that could have negative effects on one’s physical health. All of these just to be conformed by one’s peer group. Everyone experiences this in certain points of their lives, but some give in and sink in too deep that once they are influenced negatively by their peers, it’s very hard to get back up. There are two kinds of peer pressure; it could either be positive or negative, though it is more often portrayed as negative. It could also be done directly, indirectly or individually. However it may be done, peer pressure is like a tornado that would destroy everything it hits, especially those who are weak.

In a group of friends, there is always someone who drinks, smokes, or does drugs. There is always a source of influence. If for example you become friends with someone who smokes, and one day that person offers you a cigarette and tells you that it is not a big deal—because of peer pressure you are forced to take action. So you accept and smoke, even though you don’t like it. Everyday you are with this person, you are pushed to smoke again and again. If you were the kind of person who is insecure and looking for acceptance (which the majority of teenagers are) you would not say anything, because you fear that once you decline to their offer, your peers would not like you or you will not be accepted. But not saying anything leads to dire consequences. Alcoholism is very addicting and could deform your whole lifestyle. Drugs are addictive substances which you take in that gives short term pleasure but long term problems for it destroys brain cells. Smoking could lead to lung cancer or pulmonary emphysema.

Peer pressure also affects one’s thinking and decision-making skills. The adolescence stage is a very fragile stage. This phase develops our mental abilities and our foundation of values and morals. Here we try to discover who we will be in the future and what skills we need to refine. Peer pressure hinders teens from discovering their true selves for they rely mostly on what their friends want them to do, and what they think is the right thing to do. Because of their insecurities and doubts of self-worth, the decisions they make are clouded by their peer’s influence. This results to missed opportunities and unsuccessful career choices. Peer pressure also causes emotional imbalance. When teens feel like their efforts of being accepted are unnoticed by their peers, they could feel lonely and helpless. Feelings of rejection and loneliness could lead to depression. This matter is not to be belittled for depression can be manifested through anger, agitation, illnesses, and worse case scenario, suicide. As you can see, peer pressure is a very serious matter. It could lead to a variety of negative effects once inflicted on an individual. To teenagers especially, for they are in the developmental stage, meaning they are weaker than adults and still need guidance and reassurance. There are several ways of preventing these effects such as programs that boost self-esteem or guidance talks and seminars. Although peer pressure itself could not be prevented for it is natural to be influenced by our environment…what we can do is minimize—if possible, put an end to the negative side of it.