Jon Coghill & Tim Reid
She smoked for 40 years. Quit cold with one hypnosis session. Stayed clean for months… until a cyclone scared her back to cigarettes. This raw, funny chat about quit smoking hypnosis – the joy, the relapse, the guilt – is one of the most honest addiction stories we’ve ever recorded. Hit play.
Ready for some stranger stories? Personal stories of love, resilience & daring unfold in this loveable podcast, as story-collectors Tim Reid & Jon Coghill wander the streets of Australia, microphone in hand, chatting to strangers.
It’s conversations… with everyday people.
Episode Summary
Meeting the 40-Year Smoker on Lunch Break
Jon spots a woman sneaking a smoke during her break. She works in health (irony noted). She’s been smoking four decades. But a few months ago she quit – cold – after one single hypnosis session.
How Quit Smoking Hypnosis Actually Worked
She tried everything before. Nothing stuck. This time she found an amazing hypnotist. One session. Walked out a non-smoker. No cravings, no withdrawal – just free. She even took medication to help. Friends and family were thrilled.
Then the Cyclone Stress Hit
Months smoke-free. Cyclone threatens. Stress skyrockets. A smoker friend stays over. One puff “to calm nerves” and boom – back on three to four a day. Now she beats herself up daily, but the habit’s grip is back.
Why Smoking Is The Most Social Addiction
Smoking breaks create instant friends – airports, work, anywhere. Total strangers open up because “you’ll never see them again”. She says smokers are the naughty kids now, but the connection is real. Best conversations happen over a cigarette.
The Struggle to Quit Smoking Hypnosis Round Two
She knows she has to quit again – medically urgent. The hypnosis proof is there: it worked once, it can work again. But right now? She’s not ready. The cyclone stole her win, and the guilt is heavy.
A Raw, Relatable Addiction Story
No judgement, just truth. 40 years is a long time. One session changed everything – until stress changed it back. Living proof quit smoking hypnosis can work… and how fragile recovery can be.
Chapters
00:00 – Intro and meeting the 40-year smoker on lunch break
00:46 – Works in health but sneaks smokes
01:29 – Quit smoking hypnosis after 40 years – one session miracle
03:05 – How hypnosis + medication made it easy
03:49 – Cyclone stress + smoker friend = relapse
05:21 – Smoking as the world’s most social habit
06:36 – Medically has to quit again – but not ready
07:24 – Farewell and episode close
00:46 – Works in health but sneaks smokes
01:29 – Quit smoking hypnosis after 40 years – one session miracle
03:05 – How hypnosis + medication made it easy
03:49 – Cyclone stress + smoker friend = relapse
05:21 – Smoking as the world’s most social habit
06:36 – Medically has to quit again – but not ready
07:24 – Farewell and episode close
Key Moments
- Hypnosis can help quit smoking — one session worked for 40-year habit
- Relapse is about ritual, not just nicotine — hand-to-mouth action is the real trap
- Quitting smoking the second time is harder — shame and familiarity make it brutal
- Smoking creates instant community — strangers bond fast outside the “smoke zone”
- Best quit method? Hypnosis + short-term medication (worked first time)
- Average daily smokes after relapse: 3–4 (not “pack a day,” but still risky)
Internal Links
- Loved the honesty? Check Episode 6: A Car-Dweller’s Warm Heart
- More on breaking habits? See Episode 13: Sleep Well, Live Better
Listen to the Full Conversation
Quit smoking hypnosis success… then cyclone relapse. Raw, real, no judgement.Listen now on your favourite platform
🎙️ Want more, Stranger?
Like the idea of story-collectors Tim Reid & Jon Coghill chatting to attendees at your next conference or event? Or maybe you’d like them to chat to strangers in your part of the world. Hit them up here.
📸 Join us behind-the-scenes
Follow the What a StrangerTold Me podcast madness on Instagram.
☎️ Got a story you’d love to share?
Call us +61 489 272 286. You’ve got a whopping 10-minutes, so sit back, take a big breath and go for gold.
👽 Don’t be a stranger
Got some feedback? Bring it on. Just be gentle. One of us has thin skin 😉
🤩 Who’s behind all this strangeness?
Made & Hosted by Tim Reid & Jon Coghill
Music Supervision by Dennis Feletto
Photography by Will Reid & Andy McColl
Be on the Podcast
