The most common reasons my clients tell me that they have not been able to quit smoking, even after many years, are during times of grief and stress.

Even if they have been smoke free without thinking about a cigarette for many years, there is still a belief lurking in the deepest corners of their minds that smoking will help them cope and somehow make things better.

I always ask two questions.

1. What were you thinking just before you smoked your first cigarette to relieve your grievance or anxiety? Their response is usually that they weren’t sure. In many cases, a well-meaning friend or family member offered to smoke.

2. Did smoking really relieve your stress? The answer is always no. Emotional pain cannot be removed with tobacco.

What it does is create a second problem. In the midst of the grievance or stress, there is now the added regret of starting to smoke again, in addition to the worry of quitting once again.

The other common factor is that even after the pain of stress, it can take six months to a year before they seek help to quit again. Once the habit is restarted, it’s like catching up with an old friend. Until that friend stabs you in the back again.

This brings us to the present, 2020. In the middle of the Covid 19 pandemic. So many people under stress, worried about themselves or their loved ones getting sick or dying.

But even more people are under financial stress, due to reduced hours, confused or poor political leadership, outright job losses, and collapsing businesses. And with no clear end in sight, this stress will increase for many people.

If you were a smoker and these issues affect you, what would you do to avoid lighting your first cigarette?

You know that there is no such thing as a cigarette for most smokers. You will know for yourself better than anyone. But all humans can fool themselves and behave badly.

So remember when you were a smoker before and remember clearly all the reasons why you quit smoking and how good you felt afterwards. The sense of pride and success.

Make a list of all the things that will happen when you start smoking again, for example, loss of money, risk to your health, and social isolation.

Do something…anything to bridge the gap between the smoking stimulus and the smoking response. Shout, take a deep breath, even stand on your head if you’ve done that too! It’s not worth it, and it won’t help at all.

And don’t forget to call your hypnotist; It is the fastest way to stop smoking.

Also get help for your grievance or stress. Don’t do it alone.