The study of societies and cultures made us conclude that humans are highly social beings dependent on their social environment and culture. People love to look for the fruits of society’s influence on other people but rarely study their behavior. It is hard to admit that the views, beliefs, and decisions that are yours do not belong to you. People typically do not want to think of themselves as weak-willed and unintelligent creatures who follow the lead of others.
When I think about situations where I experienced social pressure, I remember a challenging period when I took exams and experienced many other personal difficulties. This led to a depressed state, constant dissatisfaction with life, and painful conditions. The surrounding people began to notice this and were advised not to be shy to seek help from a psychologist and start taking antidepressants. People urged me to consider this option, arguing that the fight against the stigmatization of depression is now underway.
For society, the destigmatization of depression is a beneficial trend. However, easy access and uncontrolled use of medicines at the earliest opportunity can lead to dire consequences for a particular person. Now people are used to recommending antidepressants like peppermint gum because the narrative tells them that it is an easy, safe, and socially approved solution. At that moment, I was really considering this decision under the pressure of a lot of advice, but I decided that I was just going through a difficult period, and sleep and rest would help me.
According to C. Wright Mills, sociological imagination is a practice that takes a detached look at common social patterns from which people draw their ideas. In my case, I did not succumb to general advice because I realized that antidepressants are now widespread and heavily advertised in the US. The experience of the sociological imagination allowed me to relate my situation and social norms and think about them more personally and creatively without resorting to the first behavior pattern that comes across.