Have you ever found yourself wondering why you do not fit in like everybody else? Perhaps you may have hobbies or interests that no one else has. Or, you may simply have a unique personality that does not always complement the personalities of those who surround you.
When we have to spend a lot of time in a place like our school or workplace, we naturally prefer to feel comfortable and at home in that place. Growing up in a space where you feel uneasy all the time can become frustrating. Such an environment can result in anxiety. Most notably, however, it can lead to you changing yourself from who you truly are into someone else.
Peer pressure is a phenomenon where individuals are forced into making choices that make them uncomfortable and go against their own values. Peer pressure is especially common amongst young people, since a big part of our growth is centred around the process of finding a place where we can fit in. When we are met with the cold feeling of realising that we do not conform to the norms of a certain setting, our most immediate response is to attempt to change ourselves to fit in. This can start with something as small as changing our sense of fashion to mimic that of our friends. However, peer pressure can also lead us into making more dangerous choices whose effects can last a lifetime.
