Managing the stresses and anxieties of peer pressure

Dealing with peer pressure from your friends and family can be very challenging at times.

It can be very difficult to be yourself while others get on your case.

As a result, here are eight tips on how to manage the stresses and anxieties of dealing with peer pressure from others.

1. Know where you stand on a certain issue: Ask yourself if you are willing to do something that your friends want you to do. Think about it and determine for yourself where you stand on a certain task. Once you decide what you are going to do, don’t change your mind if your friends start to bully you.

2. Communicate your decision to your friends: Explain to your friends what you plan on doing. Give them reasons on why you feel this way. Be willing to answer any questions that can help your friends understand your situation. If your friends get on your case on a regular basis, then maybe it is best to find other friends.

3. Be firm in your decision and show confidence: Some people will continue to argue with you and this is where you need to show that you mean business. Do not give in to their arguments. Do what is right and stand firm with your decision. This can be tough but remind them that you do not feel comfortable in doing a certain task.

4. Hang out with people who will respect you: If your friends really like you, they need to respect you. Nobody wants to be with people who are trying to get them into some kind of trouble. You always have the choice to spend your time with the people you like.

5. Do what works best for you: You will have to deal with what could happen if your friends pressure you into doing something that could get you in trouble. If something goes wrong, your friends will not take the blame for you. Think about the consequences before deciding how you want to proceed when dealing with peer pressure.

6. Walk away:  You have the choice to walk away from your friends who are trying to get you to do something you do not want to do. You’re better off to just leave your friends if they are making you anxious and stressed out. All you have to do is to tell your friends that you need some space and then just walk away.

7. Ask around: It is important to consider other viewpoints other than your own. Ask the people you trust on what they think you should do. Other people in your life know who you are, and they can give you additional insights that you may be overlooking.

8. Learn from your mistakes: If you make a mistake then the next step is to learn from your mistakes and go from there. Do not dwell on the fact that you made a wrong decision. The key is to learn from your experiences and continue to move forward.

Stan is the author of “A Layman’s Guide to Managing Fear” which covers a variety of techniques that can drastically improve your mental health. For more information, please visit Stan’s website at http://www.managingfear.com