Who Starts Smoking During a Pandemic?

I'm not proud of that fact that I relapsed during Covid. One morning, I woke up, looked at our dwindling savings account and thought, "I need to exhale...tobacco smoke." Maybe I turned to cigarettes because they reminded me of my youth and more carefree times? (Thankfully, my kid doesn't subscribe to this newsletter.) But I'm not alone in succumbing to a vice during lockdown. Apparently, 70% of Americans are splurging on alcohol, porn, lottery tickets and cigarettes during this pandemic. Stress levels are high. Understandably, we're all looking for a quick fix.

Good news: I quit smoking after three weeks. It hit me that I was flirting with an all consuming addiction again. I also wrote a story about pandemic puffers for The New York Times, which you can read here. My advice to anyone who's over-indulging in a form of unhealthy behavior? Don't kick yourself for seeking out instant gratification during a global crisis. Instead, consider how to replace that bad habit. Here's more smart advice from Psychology Today.

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