Healthier choices don’t start with guilt or self-criticism. They start with recognising that things could feel better than they do right now.
More and more, people are choosing to take control and break bad habits, whether that’s quitting smoking, vaping, drinking, or any other vice. These decisions aren’t about being perfect or giving everything up at once. They’re about creating space for better sleep, clearer thinking, stronger relationships, and a healthier future.
And for many people, the hardest step is simply believing that they can do it.
The addictiveness and challenges in quitting smoking are well known. And as a society, we’ve largely turned the corner, with levels of smoking at their lowest rates ever and no longer socially acceptable in most situations. Vaping has emerged as a new challenge, particularly among young people, but growing awareness and access to support are helping many take positive steps to quit that, too.
17-year-old Jane* decided to quit vaping for her New Year’s resolution, a habit she took up after being pressured by other students when she was new to her high school.
“I decided ages ago it was a feral habit, and I wish I could go back in time and tell myself not to do it,” she said.
“In hindsight, it is really shocking just how quickly I needed to vape every day – and how hard it was to give it up.”
Jane says she hasn’t had a vape since before Christmas … but she couldn’t do it alone.
“In the end, I told my mum I wanted to quit, and she was really amazing and got me lots of help.”
Alcohol can be a more complicated conversation. Drinking remains woven into Australian social life, particularly in regional communities where it often goes hand in hand with connection and mateship.
New England-based Sober in the Country is leading the charge to change that damaging social dynamic. Founder and CEO Shanna Whan says their message is not about banning alcohol or telling people how to live.
“We’re not preachers of prohibition,” she said.
“We’re about mateship, respecting choice, and creating real social inclusion. We don’t care if someone enjoys a drink in moderation. We care that every rural person respects the choice of someone who can’t drink or chooses not to.”
That message resonates strongly in regional communities, where alcohol pressure can be particularly intense. Whan says creating space for the choice not to drink can be life-changing.
“I’ve heard someone say, ‘you can’t trust a man who doesn’t drink’ and then speak at the funeral of a mate lost to alcohol-related suicide,” she said.
“That devastating dichotomy breaks my heart and hardens my resolve.”
For Hamish*, quitting alcohol was one of the toughest decisions he has ever made, but also one of the most rewarding. He says having the right people around him was critical.
“If your friends don’t support you getting sober, it’s pretty simple: they’re not your friends,” he said.
“Most of the people in my life were really great, particularly those who were also parents and understood I was doing it to be a better father for my baby girl.”
That support mattered most in the early days, when long-entrenched habits were hardest to break.
“It was bloody hard. I’m not going to lie and say it wasn’t,” Hamish said.
“Particularly when grabbing a beer out of the fridge at the end of the day was such a well-entrenched habit … but it was absolutely worth it.”
Stories like Hamish’s challenge the idea that quitting means missing out. For many people, it means gaining something instead: more energy, clearer thinking, better sleep, stronger relationships, and a healthier future.
Two national initiatives this February are encouraging Australians to rethink their relationship with alcohol, not through shame or prohibition, but through support, choice, and community. And raising funds for worthy causes is an added incentive.
Sober in the Country is launching a bold, month-long national fundraising campaign called The Big Shout, reimagining the classic Aussie tradition of shouting a mate a drink into a virtual shout that funds real support for rural Australians.
Whan says the campaign is about mateship, not judgement.
“We’re appealing to that gorgeous, generous Australian spirit of mateship by asking those who’d typically shout a mate a thank-you carton or a thinking-of-you bottle of wine to consider chipping in a virtual shout instead to provide real support,” she said.
“After a decade at this, we know that sometimes a mate just needs a hand, not another drink in their hand. And that’s what this campaign is all about.”
Meanwhile, Lifeline’s Febfast campaign invites people to take 28 days off alcohol while raising funds for crisis support and suicide prevention services. The campaign highlights the link between alcohol and mental health.
“When people use alcohol to deal with life stressors and emotional pain, it can exacerbate underlying issues,” said Lifeline chair Professor Steve Moylan.
“We also know alcohol impairs judgement and lowers inhibition, which significantly increases the risk of suicide and suicidal thinking.
“Recognising you turn to alcohol when overwhelmed or sad is the first step. You’re not alone; help is available.”
All agree that whether the goal is quitting smoking, vaping, drinking, or another habit that has crept into daily life, support is key, and talking to a GP is often the best first step.
*not their real names
Need help?
- Lifeline 13 11 14
- 13YARN 13 92 76
- Beyond Blue1300 224 636
- Kids Helpline1800 551 800
- Headspace 1800 650 890
- MensLine Australia 1300 789 978
- Quitline 13 7848
- Alcoholics Anonymous 1300 222 222
- Hello Sunday Morning
- National Alcohol and Other Drug Hotline 1800 250 015
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