How to Say No to Peer Pressure

According to the Los Angeles Times, fatal drug overdoses have increased for the 11th year in a row in the United States. As times toughen, it only seems that drug abuse continues to rise in popularity and grip more lives with each passing year. However, it must be understood that people are not generally born with addictions to drugs. The addiction starts somewhere; usually in situations where the user is pressured into trying a particular drug. With America's obsession with the party life, how can it be easy to say no to peer pressure? These are some tried and true strategies for standing your ground against drugs.

The Art of Saying No

Of course, this guide on saying no to drugs wouldn't be complete without your first line of defense being just that; a huge, "NO." Surprisingly enough, a strong and firm, "no" is often enough to deter pesky peers that just want to see you give in and have a good time with them. However, the trick is showing them that you mean business with your answer. If you give them a light and hearty, "No, I couldn't," as your answer, they aren't going to put much stock into your response, and they will surely try to water you down. Do not argue with whomever is trying to get you to join in. Arguing only gives the peer more of a chance to persuade you to let your guard down. Don't spend too much time bickering about it. Some great ways to say, "no" without much room for argument include:

• No.
• Don't try to persuade me to do dangerous things.
• Absolutely not!
• I will leave if you don't stop asking.

Be the Designated Driver

A great way to avoid being pressured into doing drugs is assuming the role of the designated driver. A DD must maintain sobriety at all times throughout an occasion, and this is mainly due to the responsibility of safely transporting your peers from point A to point B. If you tell someone that you're the DD and can't risk using a drug, they will likely leave you alone about it.

Tell Everyone That You Have Plans for the Next Day

Tell your peers that you've got plans the next day that you can't be hungover for. Maybe you've got work early in the morning. Maybe you're supposed to be up by a certain time in the morning to have breakfast with your family. The chances are probably going to be high anyway that you'll have prior obligations for the next day. Explain this to your peers if they continue to badger you about using a drug or drinking.

Employ Humor

In some cases, jokes and humor can lighten the mood or change the subject completely. Maybe you can casually remind everyone of a funny memory or something else that will take their minds off of you. It will more than likely get the entire group laughing, and an entertaining conversation will probably ensue.

Leave the Party

Lastly, if the pressure gets too intense, there's nothing wrong with simply leaving the party and alleviating yourself of the stress. It's not uncommon for several people to gang up on one person to increase the pressure for that singled out peer to drink. If the pressure is too intense or your friends just aren't getting the hint, just leave. It's not worth sticking around and widening the margin for error or failure with each passing minute that you stay. Leaving can also show your friends that you meant business when you said, "no" the first time. 

Sources: http://articles.latimes.com/2013/feb/19/news/la-heb-drug-overdoses-increase-20130219 d.