Ways That You May Face Peer Pressure To Drink, Even As An Adult

Peer pressure causes a lot of young people to reach for alcohol for the first time, as well as drink excessively thereafter. When you think about peer pressure to consume alcohol, you probably picture teenagers or young adults, but may not think about peer pressure among adults. While adults pressuring other adults to drink might not be as common as in the teenage demographic, it definitely exists — and if you're someone who has struggled with alcohol abuse in the past, or are wary about drinking too much, it may be an issue for you. Here are three distinct ways that you may face peer pressure to drink as an adult.

A Friend Automatically Handing You A Drink

Some adults face situations in which they visit a friend's house and he or she greets them at the door with a freshly opened bottle of beer, a glass of wine, or even a mixed drink. You may not wish to drink, but you may also struggle with the idea of turning the drink down — especially when the friend has opened the beer or mixed the drink specifically for you. In some cases, the friend may just be trying to be overly hospitable, but in other cases, he or she may be acting in a manipulative manner. For example, the friend may feel that when you drink together, it justifies his or her alcohol use.

Verbally Encouraging You

Another form of peer pressure that you may encounter as an adult is when a friend verbally encourages you to drink. For example, if a group of friends is drinking but you're not having anything that contains alcohol, one or more of the friends may playfully tell you that you need to join in. Or, if you're with a solo friend who is drinking, he or she may say something such as, "Are you going to make me drink alone?" These sentiments can pressure you into drinking when you might not want to.

Taking You Out As A Surprise

Lots of people consume alcohol on their birthdays and on other special occasions, but you may not wish to. You may encounter substantial peer pressure, however, when some friends take you out to celebrate your birthday, a promotion at work, or another accomplishment and you visit an establishment where drinking is the norm. For example, if you go to a bar together and your friends order drinks, you may feel pressure to follow in their footsteps.

If you're concerned about the peer pressure that you're facing and how it has made you drink more than you'd like, seek an alcohol addiction treatment service such as Oasis Behavioral Health & Addiction Services LP.


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