Peer pressure can be both positive or negative. However, negative peer pressure can cause people to do a lot of things they do not want to. Many people, including you, could face the peer pressure to drink alcohol at some point in their life. At that point, you will be at a pivotal decision point in your life to either start drinking, or choose to avoid it. In order to resist the peer pressure to drink, you will need to learn how to say no to alcohol.
How-to Say No to Alcohol: Standing Your Ground
Peer Pressure
First, peer pressure is when someone is pressured to do something or believe something by their peers. Peer pressure can come in many forms. This includes verbal, unspoken, direct or indirect. However, not all peer pressure is negative; it can also be positive as well.
Most people associate peer pressure with being a youth, but it can also affect adults as well. People want to fit in, which is why peer pressure can be so effective. Both teens and adults alike want to be liked, avoid awkwardness, and care what people think about them. This is why sometimes it can be difficult to say no to alcohol in certain situations.
Saying No
No one should ever have to drink alcohol if they do not want to. Learning how to resist peer pressure and say no to alcohol is an invaluable skill. You can politely decline alcohol by just saying “no thank you”. You could also change the topic or even suggest a different activity. Also, you can enlist friends for support. You could also just be transparent with people and tell them that you do not drink. If you are a recovering alcoholic, this would probably be your best course of action. If the situation gets to be too uncomfortable, you can choose to remove yourself from the situation all-together.
As an adult at a social function, there are additional excuses you can give. For example, you can tell people that you have to drive home, or that you are supposed to be a designated driver for the night. Additionally, you could say that you have to wake up early in the morning. If you have children, you could use the excuse that you have to take care of your children when you get back home.
Consequences
No matter which route you choose, there will be consequences. If you end up giving in to peer pressure and drinking, you could give in to something you do not really want to do. In this case, you would not be being true to yourself. Additionally, you could suffer the mental and physical effects of alcohol, which could lead to hangovers, slurred-speech, or poor decisions. Ultimately, it could lead to an accident if you get behind the wheel or even death.
If you choose to say no to alcohol, you will feel more control and self-confidence. You increase you chances of getting home safely because you will avoid driving while intoxicated. Additionally, you will avoid all of the negative effects of alcohol.
