1
Study Guide G07 ~ Life Orientation
Unit
1.3
Lesson 3: Peer pressure: the influence of peer pressure (3 hours)
1.3.1
How peer pressure can influence a person: drug use, crime, unhealthy sexual behaviour, bullying and rebellious behaviour
Wikipedia defines peer pressure as “when one social group applies pressure on a certain person to change their behaviour so that it corresponds with the bigger group. It can be positive or negative”. We will however look at the negative aspect of peer pressure. Your group of friends is the most important persons apart from your parents during your teenage years. You spend the most time with them and they influence your behaviour. Friends can put a lot of pressure on you to do things that you don’t always agree with. However, you don’t want to feel ostracised and maybe do these things to satisfy them. If you don’t have a good relationship with your parents or if you don’t have an adult role model in your life you can much easier give in to peer pressure. Peer pressure can influence an individual in the following ways: 1.
Use of drugs Huisgenoot did a poll in 2012 under young people between the ages of 12 and 16 years. According to the poll 12% have already smoked marijuana, of which 58% smoked it at least once a month. Three percent of the respondents have already used tik. There were even some young people that have used ecstacy, cocaine, CAT and hallucinogic mushrooms. Some have always sniffed petrol and glue. Most of the teenagers think they will only do it once. However, your body quickly adjusts to the effects of the drug. Your body develops a craving for the drug. Two types of dependency develop in the person: 1.
2.
© Optimi
Psychological dependency The person has a strong craving for the drug and becomes obsessive about it. He or she experiences anxiety and becomes very irritable. Physical dependency It includes all the factors of psychological dependency, but the person also experiences physical withdrawal symptoms like shivers, fever and muscle cramps. Drug use that develops into drug abuse destroys the youth’s lives and it can even lead to death.
18
