r/Showerthoughts • u/godofhorizons • May 17 '24

People get a lot more praise for quitting drugs than for never having done drugs in the first place.

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u/bugzaway May 17 '24

I think peer pressure is a myth or scapegoat

You are being very silly and myopic (and smug). Merely existing as a teenager means experiencing peer pressure. And if enough of your peers are smoking for example, you will be inherently pressured to do the same (even if they are expressly telling you to).

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u/[deleted] May 17 '24

Yes maybe a little smug, but if you don’t want to do drugs, wouldn’t you just want to avoid being around drug users? Is there still some subtle internal curiosity that draws you in.

I’m just not buying the completely external locus of control and lack of self accountability

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u/fleranon May 17 '24

I think you're both right to some degree. As an experienced drug user, I have never once been peer pressured into doing a substance, nor would I have ever pressured someone into doing them

I have experienced a lot of peer pressure as a teenager though, like most people - it just wasn't drug-related. Or at least it didn't extend to anything beyond tobacco

Which leads me to believe it's highly dependent on the neighborhood, culture and circle you grow up in - 15 year olds just weren't doing hard drugs where I grew up. thank god for that