Suicide and peer pressure

By Riddhima Sen

Peer pressure refers to the forced implication of interests, implied upon by an individual’s peers. Peers can be friends, classmates, or anyone belonging to an individual’s own age group. Peer pressure is something external, and not rational in nature at all. The idea of fitting into a friends group takes the central stage here. In such a scenario, the individual is constantly forced to do things they don’t even want to do. It may apparently seem to be good and all, but is exhausting and tiring in reality, which is quite the opposite and unexpected reaction.
A tension gets built inside the psyche of the individual. The anxiety of not being able to keep up with the toxic standards of toxic friends may often lead to suicide as well. Suicide is generally perceived as the last stage of despair and depression. When all the beacons of light disappear from life, life seems useless and worthless to the individual. Especially, when a child grows older and enters into school or college, peer pressure gets catapulted to the highest extent possible. Choosing friends wisely in school and college , and being able to keep a hold of oneself , is henceforth , very crucial and quintessential .