By definition, peer pressure is the social pressure exerted by members of one's peer group to take a certain action, adopt certain values ​​or conform in other ways way to be accepted. Everyone experiences peer pressure at some point in their lives. There are three different forms of peer pressure: direct, indirect and individual. Direct peer pressure is a teenager or group of teenagers actually telling another teenager what they should do. Indirect peer pressure is not necessarily verbal peer pressure, but visual peer pressure. When a teenager hangs out with a group of friends who smoke or do drugs, they may think this negative behavior is acceptable. Individual peer pressure is trying too hard to fit in and do things because other people are doing them. Although peer pressure has positive effects on adolescents, helping them to do well in school, eat healthily, exercise, participate in after-school programs, it has more negative effects on adolescents as it pushes them to start taking drugs, smoking , shoplifting, cutting class, having sex, drinking alcohol, physical violence and doing poorly in school. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Adolescence is that stage of life when you are exposed to the outside world. These are the years when you spend the most time with your friends. Adolescence is the phase in which one begins to become independent in life; the years in which you formed your ideals and principles, the years that shape your personality, and the years that introduce you to yourself. Teenagers often spend most of their daily time with friends, and due to this vulnerable age, they tend to imitate their friends. This is because “…during adolescence, parents and adolescents become more physically and psychologically distant from each other” (Lingren 198) and this is why adolescents spend more and more time with their peers. As a result, teenagers begin to feel "closer to their friends than to their parents" which is why most teenagers base their decisions on the actions of their friends. This is why they follow their peers and do things that they may not feel comfortable with. in doing. For example, when a teenager is part of a group of friends who tend to smoke cigarettes. The teenager will most likely start smoking when offered because these friends tend to encourage him until he feels extremely forced to be involved in smoking, alcohol and drug use can lead to many negative problems. Smoking is addictive and can lead to health problems such as lung cancer and emphysema. Drugs, by being addictive, destroy the brain cells. Drug addicts have enormous difficulty stopping the drug addiction that is ruining their lives. Along with drugs and smoking, drinking alcohol is very addictive. Alcoholism is a disease and it alters the lives of those affected by it. This negative peer pressure has a direct and present consequence that affects those around them. As a minor, smoking, drinking alcohol, taking drugs, skipping class, and having sex are all crimes. The teenager who carries out these acts can find himself in serious trouble, to the point of being arrested and sent to juvenile detention. It is natural for teenagers to want to become independent and have their own identity. Teens distance themselves from family and then copy behaviors and attitudes from their friends. This gives them peer approval,”.