One thing to remember is that while there's certainly a lot of bad peer pressure that we have to stay away from, there is a wrongful approach to this where we view all peer pressure as bad and therefore try to "do our own thing" and isolate ourselves from others in that sense.

There is definitely a very good type of peer pressure: one where good, safe friends push you to step out of your comfort zone and take those risks that you need to take in order to grow. Or, one where good, safe friends hold you back, tie you to a tree and keep you from entering into something destructive.

That said, we should never feel like we have to change ourselves in order to get people to like us. Good, safe friends will be full of "grace", i.e. a willingness to accept you as you are, with all your faults and all your quirks.

If we do decide to change ourselves, it should be out of our own desires, not out of anyone else's desires. Friends can encourage (i.e. pressure) you to address your faults and grow because they want the best for you, while still accepting and loving you if you fail.

And generally speaking, good, safe friends will leave your harmless quirks alone.

I haven't really ever experienced bad peer pressure I guess because I never had many friends, but the ones I did have, had only a positive influence on me.

Peer pressure can be a good thing or a bad thing, I think the generally when people think of peer pressure as something bad, I know at least I do, but, I do know there can be good peer pressure

Generally I'm not really the person that submits to peer pressure, be it good or bad, I'm pretty iron in everything I say and do I'm not sure if that's good or bad, it's just they way I am.

I'm only in fifth grade and Im homeschooled, so I haven't been exposed to much, but, there was one time when a "friend" of mine on the internet wanted me to listen to an innapropriate song. I said no, because I stand firm in my beliefs (hey, young kids can stand firm just as much as grown people) and I don't believe in listening to "bad" music. Not a certain type of music or anything, just innapropriate lyrics.

So, that's my story.

-FFJ

@Jill Good for you! That's really great.

The only peer pressure I suffered from was massive emotional insecurity when I was in the 7th grade. I was actually really emo then because at time I felt sick and knew something was really wrong with myself (hince my epilepsy and I found out I had it that summer). I felt really neglected by family and friends. Usually I roll my eyes when i got bullied but around that time it hit me like millions of needles. I remember at least 4 nights out of the week I would cry myself to sleep. To be quite honest I was giving up in myself and in God for a while there until school ended and three days afterward I'm thankful that God knew I needed him more then ever and showed my family first off that something was wrong with me

A seek later after being put on seizure meds, one of my school friends invited me to her church youth group and I made a lot of other great friends and got a boyfriend who went there over the summer and during this time that insecurity about myself went away, some enemies became my friends, small bullying continued again i just rolled my eyes, everything i was ever bullied about was untrue about myself.

Other then that I've never gotten into drugs, never wanted to be someone that I'm not, etc, etc about horrid peer pressure.

I've never really experienced much when it comes to peer pressure, good or bad. Mostly because I live in a town where, frankly, no one really cares what anyone does.

There were a few minor things like a few friends wanted to see what my hair would look like straightened with a straightening iron. I didn't really care to do it, but they were so curious, I ironed it straight that day and showed it to them. Then I washed it and made it curly again. That's about it.

Even if someone did try to get me to do something like drugs or alcohol, I don't think I would have any temptation to do it. I have terrible memories just from being on doctor-prescribed medication in the hospital, and have no desire to lose any part of my senses again. If someone thought bad of me for that, I think it would be more laughable to me than something that would make me self-conscious. They're the ones, after all, who really need the help; and I would pray for them, not try to please them.

That said, I doubt anyone I know closely would try to tempt me in such a way, since I've never had those types of friends. If anyone asked me to do drugs, it would have to be some passing stranger on the street or something. And no one really cares what someone thinks, if you're never going to see them again.

~Riella

I've had some peer pressure....*bows head in shame*

This one time Ithilwen and I were racing 18-wheelers down the blacktop in rural Montana and she radioed over to me "Hey Flyswatter, this here is The Interrogator. I dare ya...no, I triple dog dare ya to do a wheelie!". Of course I was like totally embarrassed because Ithilwen's entourage was all there riding shotgun in her truck, "The Interrogation Room", and they were all egging me on. And I totally like didn't want to do it. But I did. And then the the State Trooper caught me doing donuts just off of Route 52 and took me to jail in a dumpy little town called El Segundo. Meanwhile Ithy and her cronies all drove off and left me while they went and got Blizzards at the local DQ (she radioed the Sherriff to tell me she had a chocolate blizzard with bananas and coconut...the cheek!).

*sigh* And that's why you should never cave in to peer pressure, kids. Because Ithilwen will go eat ice cream while you're in the clink with a pair of large buff guys named Chunk-O and Barking Wombat.

I haven't had much experience with negative peer pressure because I grew up homeschooled and my main hangout was the youth center my family runs, and although there are people coming there who have or are using drugs, drinking, or smoking, there are rules against it and when the people are there, they are not allowed to do any of that. I have been in some tight spots, though. I have been around people who were smoking, and when I was 14 I really wanted to try it, just because it looked so easy. I had read whole encyclopedias about the ill effects of drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes as well as tons about peer pressure, but I still wanted to try it. Thank God I have a really great relationship with my mom, and I just told her all about it. She did the one thing that shocked me more than anything else. She said,
"You can try it. I tried it when I was young, and I hated it and thought it was gross. I don't think you'll like it, but if you really want to, you can. You choose for yourself - you know what you want."
I went back to my room and thought about it for awhile, kind of in awe that the mastery of choice was in my hands. After a little while, I suddenly realized that I really didn't want to smoke, and I never have. I think a big part of this was the fact that, although my mom did not want me to smoke, she trusted me enough to make my own decision, and it let me know that I had a will of my own, and the power to say no. Since then it's been much easier for me to stand up for what I believe in. I think that's one of the most important things a parent can give a teenager - the responsibility to make a right decision. Of course there are times when we make the wrong decisions and parents need to lay down the law, but a parent's trust is one of the most precious gifts, and I believe it will make a huge difference in a lot of troubled teen's lives.

I personally was always aware that changing was wrong.
-wk

If we never changed, we'd all be lying around waiting for our mommies to feed us and wash us.

Change can be positive or negative. Peer pressure can be positive or negative. The important thing is to keep a moral compass, when you are deciding whether to try something your peers are encouraging you to do. Also, don't lie to yourself about your feelings on the new things that you try, that will keep you from disconnecting with your identity and following a path that would not be the best use of your time and talents.

*sigh* And that's why you should never cave in to peer pressure, kids. Because Ithilwen will go eat ice cream while you're in the clink with a pair of large buff guys named Chunk-O and Barking Wombat.

. . . And, most importantly, don't make friends with Ithilwen!

I'm not sure how I feel about peer pressure. I usually give in to trying new things, but this isn't necessarily because my peers pressure me to do it, but more because I'm extremely open minded to new ideas and new experiences. I'm the type of person who has to try things for myself, for example I tried smoking, thought it was gross, and never did it again. I didn't try it because of pressure. I tried out of curiousity. I guess it's good to just use your own judgment.