Blog Post 8: Peer Pressure and Teens Health

Have you ever gone to party with your friends and drink alcohol because they did. Or have you ever skipped school because you believed that your friends would think of you as uncool if you didn't Or have you ever done something because you thought that everyone else was doing it. It can affect a person's health in many ways. It can cause physical, emotional, and mental distress.

I've read several articles regarding how peer pressure can affect teen's health. One article I've read was written by Camelita Thrift entitled "How does Peer Pressure affect many teens health" In her article, she said that many students on a collegiate level begin to test drugs because their friends or classmates encourage them to do so. And parents must be alarmed, because most of these drugs are extreme and very dangerous. The saddest part on teens trying to do drugs is when they got addicted to it, and these addiction could lead in serious side effects. She said that some side effects are hair loss, extreme weight loss, nausea and the likes. These never ending effects of peer pressure can affect teens physical health tremendously.

Camelita said, "Equally important, peer pressure can not only affect a person's health physically but also emotionally. Many young ladies and gentlemen decide to be sexually active because they think that everyone is doing it."

I agree with Camelita, in my former posts, I already talked about how can peer pressure affect teens decision when it comes to having sex with their partners. They are very willing to do it because they think, this can prove how much they love each other. Health is very important and I think teens must know how to take care of our health, and avoid those activities which can lead to sickness and improper functions of our body.

Another article I've read was entitled 'Peer Pressure can hurt healthy eating habits" by Lindsay Holden. She said that peer pressure in any form can be hard to accept. Its influence on teenagers runs from what clothing to wear on your body and how much food to put in your body. She said that experts describe lunch hour as social hour. Some teens are following a strict diet just to lose weight and fit in, so they can wear those dresses and skinny jeans. In extreme cases, some teens are just following their colleagues when it comes to eating habits which can lead to lifelong battles of obesity and eating disorder.

Holden said "Some kids will go through starving themselves because their friends are doing it. When they are on their way they might be fine, but for others it is a trigger for a lifelong struggle."

I agree with Holden, they actually have the same point, peer pressure is really a major factor when it comes to  affecting teen's feelings, emotionally, mentally and physically. For me, these problems on peer pressure are being experienced worldwide, especially in those countries who have a very liberated kind of living. It is dangerous and can destroy a child's well being and can cause to death. Parents must be really focus on their children and know how can they protect their children from peer pressure.