INTERVIEW: What it's like to give up booze and bags for good

It's the social season in Australia — barbecues, festivals, long nights out.And with it often comes alcohol and drugs, which are woven into how we celebrate and connect.But what about the costs to your health, your bank account, and your headspace?And while more people are cutting back, others are realising they can't have a healthy relationship with booze, opting for sobriety instead.So how do you stop?Dave Marchese sits down with Julia Rangiheuea from the Soberly Speaking podcast to unpack Australia's drinking culture, the real costs of partying, and her journey from self-described "party girl" to being 3 years sober this month.And if this chat brought up anything for you, there is help available: the National Alcohol & Other Drug Hotline is on 1800 250 015A version of this episode was first published in October 2025.Guest: Julia Rangiheuea, host of Soberly SpeakingGet the whole story from Hack:Follow us on InstagramSubscribe to the hack podcastListen on the triple j app or on your radio live every weeknight at 5:30pm