There are so many dangers and negative influences that come with all forms of social pressure. This is not limited to the negatives you are being pressured to, like social media pressuring you to pornography. It also includes all the effects the very act of pressure has on the individual that is being pressured.
That is, even if someone doesn’t succumb to the pressure, the fact that they are being pressured still leaves some negative effect on them. These dangers of social pressure include
Disadvantages of Social Pressure
1. Lack of confidence or low self-esteem
The more outspoken forms of social pressure like peer pressure and intimidation dampen the confidence of the victim. People who suffer from peer pressure and pressure from social media begin to doubt their skills because they know they don’t want what the pressure is demanding of them or the pressure itself, but their constant subjection to such pressure reminds them of their helplessness and this might pose to them, of themself, a perceived inadequacy.
These all together lead to low self-esteem and lack of confidence.
2. Loneliness and isolation
People suffering from any form of social pressure might, in a bid to withdraw from the source of pressure, redraw from all social activities in general. Other times, even if they remain among the people because loneliness is not the absence of people but the absence of connection with those people, they will remain lonely.
Related: More Friends Don’t Cure Loneliness: Here’s The Real Cure
3. Depression
What can be more depressing than being subjected to what you so much hate and can’t do anything about? What can be so depressing than looking at the future and seeing the certainty of a distasteful life? This is exactly what social pressure does to its victims. It saps joy and excitement from their life.
4. Lack of fulfillment
Sometimes, as in the case of certain societal norms, the pressure might be to do something the society considers beneficial and a worthy goal. But because the individual is not interested or does not like to do that thing (the supposed accomplishment according to the society’s standard), it will not bring any fulfillment to the individual.
It is like wanting to build a forest and ending up with a garden of shrubs
5. Unmaximized potential
Most of the social pressure, especially for societal norms, seeks to keep us within a box, with some set of rules, do’s, and don’ts, and expectations we must conform to. Those boxes mostly do not allow us to maximize our potential.
There is so much we can do and should do, that is counter-culture in our societies; if social pressure is not taken away a lot of potential will be destroyed.
