Develop Your Refusal Skills

What strategies can help handle negative peer pressure?

1. Pay attention to how you feel.
2. Plan ahead.
3. Talk to the person who is pressuring, let him or her know how it makes you feel and tell the person stop.
4. Have a secret code to communicate with parents.
5. Give an excuse.
6. Have friends with similar values and beliefs.

With some changes these skills can also be used to resist the pressure to be a part of bullying!

• Say “NO THANKS.” The easiest but some forget to try it.
• Strength in numbers.
• Use Humor.
• Give a Reason, Fact or Excuse.
• Cold Shoulder or Ignore.
• Change the Subject.
• Walk Away.
• Broken Record or Repeated Refusal.

• Give a reason for saying “No.” Be honest.
• Use the right body language. Your body language has to match your words.
• Show your concern for others. Express your concern for those trying to persuade you.
• Suggest something else. Try to persuade your friends to do something fun that ‘s safer or more healthy.
• Take action.

When you are offered a drink or drugs, keep the following in mind:

• Say “NO” quickly.
• Your voice should be clear and firm.
• Make direct eye contact.
• Suggest an alternative:
• Ask the person to stop offering you a drink and to not do so again.
• Change the subject.

Topic Overview

1. Look the person in the eye.
2. In a firm voice, tell the person you don’t want to drink or use drugs. Say something like:
3. Give a reason why you don’t want to drink or use drugs.
4. Ask the person not to ask you to drink or use drugs again.
5. If you notice that someone does have drugs, leave the area.

Top Ten Refusal Skills for Teens

1. Make a joke. Sometimes humor is the best way to respond to a situation, as it can lighten a serious mood.
2. Give a reason why it’s a bad idea.
3. Make an excuse why you can’t.
4. Just say no, plainly and firmly.
5. Suggest an alternative activity.
6. Ignore the suggestion.
7. Repeat yourself if necessary.
8. Leave the situation.

Keep it Simple

1. “I’m driving.”
2. “I don’t drink.”
3. “I want to keep a clear head.”
4. “It makes me sick.”
5. “I’m too busy to be hungover tomorrow.”
6. “I have more fun sober.”
7. “I’m in recovery.”