EMOTIONAL WOUND THESAURUS

CAVING TO PEER PRESSURE



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HELPFUL TIP:

Emotional wounds will steer a character's behavior, corrupt his worldview, and cause negative traits to form. To understand exactly how this occurs, please read our tutorial for the Wound Thesaurus.

NOTE: We realize that sometimes a wound we profile may have personal meaning, stirring up the past for some of our readers. It is not our intent to create emotional turmoil. Please know that we research each wounding topic carefully to treat it with the utmost respect.
EXAMPLES:
Trying drugs or drinking alcohol so one can fit in
Joining others in bullying a classmate
Going along with the group mindset to exclude certain people who are different
Engaging in vandalism or theft because one's friends are doing it
Keeping a secret when one knows it's wrong
Covering for friends if they get into trouble (providing an alibi, misrepresenting facts, etc.)
Agreeing to have sex even though it's not what one wants
Pressuring someone into having sex to prove one's prowess to peers
Allowing friends to party at one's house though one's parents (if they knew) wouldn't allow it
Suffering through hazing rituals because it's expected
Quitting an activity because others think it's stupid
Joining a gang, cult, fringe group, club, sorority, team, or religion due to social pressure
Dressing or behaving a certain way because one's social circle demands it
Ending a friendship because one's peers disapprove of that person
Not challenging oneself because friends would see it as being uppity or acting “too good for them”
Compromising one's religious beliefs as a way of blending in
Hiding one's sexual orientation to avoid persecution
Participating in activities that force one to lie to a spouse

WOUND CATEGORY:
Failures and Mistakes

BASIC NEEDS OFTEN COMPROMISED BY THIS WOUND:
safety and security, love and belonging, esteem and recognition, self-actualization

LIES THAT MAY DEVELOP FOR CHARACTERS WITH THIS WOUND:
They're weak and pathetic
They're a coward for not standing up for what's right
They don't know who they are
They will be rejected if others learn who they truly are or what they believe
If they hadn't done it, someone else would have
If they tell the truth, no one will believe them
One person can't change things
Fitting in is better than standing out
Blending in is the only way to get ahead
It's always safer to pretend

THE CHARACTER MAY FEAR:
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POSSIBLE RESPONSES AND RESULTS:
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POSITIVE ATTRIBUTES THAT MAY RESULT:
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NEGATIVE TRAITS THAT MAY RESULT:
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TRIGGERS THAT MIGHT AGGRAVATE THIS WOUND:
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STEPS TOWARD HEALING:
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OPPORTUNITIES TO FACE OR OVERCOME THIS WOUND:
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