By Paul Fitzpatrick
The holidays are a time when most of us enjoy festivities with friends and have a drink or two. But the holidays can also be a time when people become That Guy…and a drink or two can lead to three or four…or more.
So, who is That Guy? That Guy is the person, who after drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, loses control of self or situation with humiliating results. We’ve all seen That Guy making a fool of himself, or herself, since women can become That Guy too!
Sometimes we laugh at him. However, it’s not so funny when he makes a scene at your holiday party by getting sick in the punch bowl, fighting under the mistletoe, or passing out on top of the pile of presents. Regardless of what type of trouble That Guy gets into, let’s just say no one would want a picture of it to show up on Facebook.
As a reminder about why no one should become That Guy this holiday season, take a look at the following Top 5 List of “You Might Be That Guy If…” statements:
You Might Be That Guy If…
1. You end up in a brawl with a pack of reindeer lawn ornaments.
2. You blast a swig of eggnog all over your girlfriend.
3. Your mom didn’t appreciate receiving a shot glass as a present.
4. Your bar tab after the holiday party was $400.
5. You celebrate New Year’s three days early…oops!
That Guy is a counter-marketing program sponsored by TRICARE to encourage peer and self-control by avoiding risk behaviors associated with binge or excessive drinking. Particularly around the holidays where “party” drinking is more common place, it’s even more important that peer-to-peer influence occurs on the spot to avoid risk behavior before it starts. That Guy promotes the use of humor for peers to reach common ground to address the pitfalls of being “That Guy” in a non-confrontational, non-preachy context.
Learn more about That Guy by visiting www.thatguy.com or following his mishaps at www.Facebook.com/ThatGuy and www.YouTube.com/ThatGuyVideos.
To take a quick assessment to learn if your drinking could be a problem, take a free, anonymous screening.
Paul Fitzpatrick is the program manager of That Guy.
