Steps to Manage Stress and Deal with Peer Pressure

General News | Dec-06-2020

Manage Stress and Deal with Peer Pressure

Stress and peer pressure are now commonplace problems that impact people of all ages and origins in the fast-paced world of today. It takes skill to resist peer pressure, control stress, and live a happy life.

Using a variety of cultural viewpoints, medical procedures such as how panchkosha help in coping with peer pressure and stress discuss, this article examines many ways to fight stress and resist harmful peer pressure.

Peer pressure! Peer pressure is something we all have faced as kids. It can be good sometimes though most of the times it turns out to be bad. In fact, Peer pressure is also the reason why a lot of teenagers start doing drugs in the first place.

But the million-dollar question is not why does peer pressure take place or what are its causes but in fact ‘How should we manage it?’
There are a variety of ways through which we can manage peer pressures some of which I will be talking about today.

Managing Stress: An Integrated Methodology

Do yoga - Peer preacher causes a lot of stress and anxiety and to do well it is necessary for our mind to be at peace. Yoga is an exercise that largely helps us to keep our peace of mind and thus it is important for us to practice yoga if we don’t want to fall prey to peer pressure.

Talk it out- when you have a problem it is best to talk to someone about it. Anyone whom you trust and a person who can actually give you good advice. You can talk to an elder sibling or your parents or your elder cousins or even teachers you trust.

In some cases, a child might be afraid to talk about such things and that time it is the parent’s duty to send them the message. Maybe by making up stories or maybe by making the child feel comfortable to talk about their problems. So, in the end, peer pressure is not something to be very afraid of. It is just a part of another day in high school. Just it is important to remember that you are not alone and have someone to talk to it about.

Mindfulness and Meditation

An old Buddhist practice called mindfulness has become rather popular in contemporary stress management methods. It is bringing one's attention to the here and now, recognising and embracing without criticism one's ideas and emotions. Reducing stress, anxiety, and depression has been demonstrated by regular mindfulness meditation.

The foundation of mindfulness, meditation, can manifest in a number of ways:

  • Meditation with breath: focusing on one's breath to ground the thoughts
  • Loving-kindness meditation: Fostering thoughts of compassion and goodwill; body scan meditation: Methodically relaxing various body areas

Consistent meditation practice has been shown in research to cause anatomical changes in the brain, especially in regions related to emotional control and stress reaction.

Physical Activity

Frequent physical exercise is a potent decompressor. The body's natural mood boosters, endorphins, are released by exercise, which also lowers cortisol and other stress chemicals. Approaches to physical well-being vary throughout cultures:

  • Yoga: Originally practiced in ancient India, yoga includes breathing exercises, meditation, and physical postures to improve both mental and physical health.
  • Tai Chi: Stress-reducing deep breathing and gentle, flowing motions are the mainstays of this Chinese martial art.

In high-intensity interval training, or HIIT: According to current exercise science, brief periods of vigorous exercise can be quite beneficial in lowering stress and enhancing general health.

For adults, the World Health Organisation advises at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise.

Three Nutritional Methods

Stress control mostly depends on diet. Long acknowledged by many civilizations is the relationship between nutrition and mental health:

  • Mediterranean Diet: This diet has been associated with reduced levels of stress and depression and is high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats.
  • Conventional Japanese Diet: Linked to lower incidence of mental health problems, it emphasises fish, vegetables, and fermented foods.
  • Ayurvedic Nutrition: This age-old Indian method balances mind, body, and spirit by customising nutritional advice to a person's body type.

Important vitamins for controlling stress include:

  • Fish, flaxseeds, and walnuts are sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
  • B vitamins: Profound in leafy greens and whole grains
  • Magnesium: Found in dark chocolate, seeds and nuts

How Panchkosha Help in Coping with Peer Pressure and Stress Discuss

Panchkosha, in Indian philosophy, is a concept which illustrates and seeks to foster the multifaceted aspects of human dimension. According to the Taittiriya Upanishad, the Panchkosha comprises five layers or sheaths: physical, vital, mental, intellectual, and blissful bodies namely Annamaya, Pranamaya, Manomaya, Vijnanamaya and Anandamaya.

All of these layers are important for the general health, and their treatment can help in managing the problems connected with peer pressure and stress.

  1. Annamaya Kosha (Physical Body)
  • Healthy Lifestyle: It is always important to have a healthy diet, exercise and sleep so as to have a healthy body. Stress is better handled by a healthy body as such a body can endure pressure better than a weaker one.
  • Yoga and Asanas: Thus, it can be noted that yoga can be beneficial for physical health as well as can cause relaxation. Certain poses in yoga aid in the unblocking of areas where the body holds energy and enhance relaxation.

2. Pranamaya Kosha (Vital Energy)

  • Breathing Exercises: Natural practices such as Pranayama restorative breathing that is often used to restore the normal rate of breathing and harmonize the circulation of energy in the body. Paced breathing decreases anxiety and stress and helps to maintain concentration.
  • Energy Work: Stress reducing activities like Tai Chi or Qigong decrease the impact of stress on the body’s energy flow and increase vigor.

3. Manomaya Kosha (Mind)

  • Mindfulness and Meditation: Mental techniques such as meditation exercise the brain and assists in lowing the stress that is present in our minds. Meditation strategies keep a person in the present moment and prevent him or her from thinking about such things as stress or peer pressure.
  • Positive Affirmations: One should encourage positive thinking as it suppresses pessimistic thoughts and prepares the mind to stand up against adversity.

4. Vijnanamaya Kosha (Intellect)

  • Self-Reflection: Spending time journaling or reflecting can give an understanding of one’s stressors and circumstances that lead to peer pressure. Thus, prevention is better than cure because once the causes of certain behaviors are understood, people can develop mechanisms of managing such behaviors well.
  • Continuous Learning: Reading a book, doing a crossword or a Sudoku may not only act as a healthy distraction; but may strengthen a person’s mental muscles as well.

5. Anandamaya Kosha (Bliss)

  • Spiritual Practices: Prayer, chanting and being out in nature are some of the ways that one can embrace spirituality as a way of heightening the feeling of tranquility within.
  • Gratitude Practices: Practicing gratitude may help to redirect attention from stressors towards evaluation of the positive factors in the daily existence thereby improving happiness and quality of life.

Sleep

Stress resiliency depends on having enough good sleep. Sleeping customs vary between cultures:

  • Siesta: Research has demonstrated the stress-reduction and cognitive-improving benefits of the Spanish afternoon siesta custom.
  • Nordic Sleep Method: This improves sleep quality by having partners use different duvets.
  • Japanese 'inemuri': Recognising the value of rest, this is the socially acceptable custom of napping in public.

To enhance the quality of your sleep: have a regular sleep schedule; establish a soothing bedtime routine; reduce your exposure to blue light from electronics before bed; and keep the bedroom quiet, dark, and cool.

The Social Link

One of the best stress-buffers is a strong social network. Cultural emphasis varies in several ways on social connection:

Family get-togethers on a regular basis; club or community memberships; volunteer work for neighbourhood causes; relationship practice of empathy and active listening

Organisation and Time Management

Stress can be much reduced by good time management. Techniques include the Eisenhower Matrix, which ranks jobs according to significance and urgency; the Pomodoro Technique, which calls for working in concentrated 25-minute bursts interspersed with brief breaks

Time-blocking is setting up particular timeslots for various tasks.

Time management is seen differently in different cultures:

Polychronic cultures (e.g., Mediterranean countries, Latin America) are more flexible with time and may manage several things simultaneously; monochronic cultures (e.g., Germany, USA) stress tight schedules and timeliness.

Cognitive Behavioural Strategies

Stress and anxiety management is well known to be addressed by Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). Important CBT procedures are:

 Recognising and opposing negative thought patterns; practicing positive self-talk; addressing stresses with problem-solving tools; gradually exposing oneself to stressful circumstances to develop resilience

Therapeutic Nature

Nature walks have been demonstrated to lower stress and enhance general wellbeing. Natural healing powers have long been acknowledged by many cultures:

The idea of living outside and interacting with environment is known as "friluftsliv" in Scandinavia; Japanese "shinrin-yoku," or forest bathing; Native American vision quests are solitary encounters in nature for spiritual development.

Easy methods to include nature therapy:

  • Frequently taking strolls in parks or other natural areas
  • Plant or gardening maintenance; mindfulness or meditation based in nature

The Creative Expression

Taking up artistic pursuits can be a very effective stress-reduction strategy. Among the several artistic expressions are:

  • Art therapy: Invoking feelings through painting, sculpture, or drawing
  • Music therapy: Relaxing music listening or instrument play
  • Writing to process ideas and emotions: Journaling or creative writing

Stress-relieving traditional artistic activities are found in many cultures:

Mandala construction in Tibetan Buddhism Dreamcatcher building in Native America Japanese origami

Professional Support

When stress gets too much, you really need to get expert assistance. Among this can be:

  • Psychotherapy: Several modalities including humanistic, psychodynamic, or cognitive behavioural therapy
  • Holistic health practitioners: Depending on cultural preferences, like naturopaths or traditional medicine doctors; psychiatric consultation: For medication management if necessary

Though opinions on mental health care may differ throughout countries, raising awareness of the issue worldwide is lowering stigma and facilitating access to expert care.

Approaching Peer Pressure

Both good and bad can come from peer pressure, or the influence that one's peer group exercises. Though it may afflict people of any age, teenagers and young adults are especially prone to it. Effective peer pressure management needs a blend of assertiveness, self-awareness, and strong personal convictions.

Creating a strong sense of self-identity is one of the most important tactics for fighting bad peer pressure. This means knowing one's own principles, objectives, and limitations. People that know who they are and what they stand for are less likely to be influenced by the views or deeds of others that go against their own convictions.

In coping with peer pressure, assertiveness training can be quite beneficial. This is mastering polite and straightforward communication of one's needs, feelings, and ideas. Using "I" statements, keeping eye contact, and speaking in a cool, collected voice can all help people stand their ground under duress.

Creating a network of friends who are like you might act as a barrier against unfavourable peer pressure. This is making sure that one's main social group is encouraging and upbeat, not excluding oneself from others who hold different opinions.

A further essential component of resisting peer pressure is to acquire critical thinking abilities. This includes thinking through possible repercussions, challenging the motivations of particular actions or recommendations, and making wise judgements as opposed to just going with the flow.

People can be better prepared for circumstances when they may encounter peer pressure by role-playing scenarios with reliable friends or family members. With regular practice, one can develop confidence and have a repertoire of answers to use in practical circumstances.

Recognising when to leave unpleasant or maybe dangerous circumstances is also crucial. When peer pressure gets too much, having a prearranged signal or "exit strategy" with a reliable friend can give you a way out.

There must be honest discussion of peer pressure between parents and teachers. Making the atmosphere judgement-free so that young people feel at ease talking about their problems and experiences can be quite helpful in terms of support and direction.

Sometimes the way that peer pressure is felt and handled is influenced by cultural elements. For instance, in collectivist societies there can be more pressure to fit in with the group standards, necessitating alternative approaches of preserving uniqueness while upholding cultural norms.

Dealing with peer pressure is ultimately a continuous process requiring practice, skill development, and introspection. People can more successfully resist peer pressure and make decisions that are in line with their own ideals and objectives by fostering resilience, self-confidence, and a solid support network.

Finally, in the complicated world of today, stress management and peer pressure management are critical life skills. People can create a customised toolkit for preserving mental health and being authentic by combining various cultural wisdom, contemporary scientific study, and tried-and-true methods. You can also find out how panchkosha help in coping with peer pressure and stress discuss in reducing your stress. Resilience development, intentional choice making, and promoting a balanced, authentic life are more important than stress reduction or avoiding all peer pressure.

 

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