Negative effects on peer pressure
By: Julia Palmigiano
"Did you know that only four percent of parents think they have "little influences" over their teens decisions to smoke, drink, or use illegal drugs." ( Found by the National Center on Addiction and substance Abuse.) Parents think that if you sit and talk to your teens about the serious dangers of drinking and using illegal drugs they won't listen and they will do whatever they want because someone at school is forcing them to. Peer pressure causes teens to make poor decisions which can put their health and life at risk.
Studies show that teens act differently when they are around their peers. When teenagers are around someone cool they would do anything without thinking of what the consequence could be. Tara Parker-Pope wrote in "Teenagers Friends and Bad Decisions" that "The findings suggest that teenage peer pressure has a distinct effect on bra in signals involving risk and reward, helping to explain why young people are more likely to misbehave and take risks when their friends are watching." It is very hard for teens to have the strength and confidence to stop themselves from doing bad things because your friend is watching you. "But the young teenagers ran about 40 percent more yellow lights and has 60 percent more crashes when they knew their friends were watching." ( Tara Parker - Pope). These reasons show that when teens are around peers they act differently.
Teens make bad decisions to fit in with their peers. Often when teens make bad decisions it's because they feel like they are forced to. "The report by confidential drugs helpline FRANK showed that almost half of the youngsters questioned said the need to fit in with their group dictated their friends behavior." ( Teenagers Admit Drug Peer Pressure.) When teens are put under pressure they will do anything to make themselves feel accepted. In the article "Teenagers Admit Drug Pear Pressure" it says that " One fifth of teenagers say their friends pretend to take drugs to look Cool. These reasons show that when teens make bad decisions it's because they want to fit in with their peers.
When teens make bad decisions because there is someone that is considered "cool" around them it could effect their life and health. In the article "Orlando Park Death Proves Peer Pressure Kills" the author Bonnie Miller Rubin and T.shawn wrote that, " Surrounded by friends the 16- year old did something dangerous and It cost Elizabeth Wakulich her life." Elizabeth was bet $80 to drink alcohol, and she did. Unfortunately after she drank the alcohol she fell asleep at a friends house and never woke up.( Bonnie Miller Rubin and T. Shawn) When teens make bad decisions they don't think about what could happen next and, they naturally think they will be fine when they really aren't. "Social experts say kids do not fully understand their mortality." This shows that peer pressure never ends well because teens think they are invincible.
Some people might think that peer pressure has a positive effect on teens because parents are seeing behavior changes from bad to good, and they are taking responsibility in their school work, being respectful, and lastly they are being honest. However the truth is peer pressure has more of a negative effect on teens and not a positive effect. People think this because teens are starting to fall behind in school, and they aren't listening to what their parents are saying.
Peer pressure has a big effect on teens. When teens are under pressure they do anything and it could put their health and life at risk. When you hear peer pressure you think of something bad that happens or what someone did. It is so important to know how to stop yourself from doing some thing bad that could effect you. That's why schools should create a program to help teens that are under peer pressure. At this program teens will learn how to just say no and strategies that will help stop themselves from making poor decisions.