It’s Not About Not Knowing: bringing Bexley’s experiences of smoking, stress and quitting into view
An exhibition drawing on local research will be on display at Bexley Civic Offices, 2 Watling Street, Bexleyheath, DA6 7AT. From 13th October to 2nd November, bringing residents’ voices into the conversation this Stoptober.
Many people who smoke understand the risks and want to stop. What can be harder to explain is the place smoking occupies in a life shaped by anxiety, financial pressure, caring responsibilities or loss.
It’s Not About Not Knowing explores that experience through research findings, residents’ words, photography and poetry. It invites visitors to consider what makes quitting difficult, what helps people keep going, and how support can better respond to the circumstances of their lives.
At its heart is a resident’s explanation:
“I don’t smoke for pleasure. I smoke to cope.”
The research was commissioned by Bexley Public Health, with engagement carried out by Healthwatch Bexley alongside Mind in Bexley. It brought together 360 survey responses, 25 focus group participants and 10 in-depth interviews. Carers’ and peer-support groups helped test the survey questions, while residents and commissioners reviewed emerging findings. The study reveals a gap between wanting to stop and feeling confident about doing so. Responses to the relevant survey questions showed that 93% described smoking to manage stress or mental health, 71% wanted to stop within a year, and 15% felt very confident they could stop. These findings describe the experiences of a self-selecting study sample; they are not estimates for everyone who smokes in Bexley.
Behind the figures are accounts of interrupted progress: a quit attempt unsettled by bereavement, a relationship breakdown or mounting bills. For some unpaid carers, a cigarette had become a way to claim a few minutes to themselves. Residents also described what helped: practical support, encouragement from a partner, regular follow-up and knowing someone would ask how they were getting on. These experiences have particular relevance during Stoptober, which encourages people to take the first step towards stopping smoking through a 28-day challenge. Quitting can improve mental as well as physical health. Although smoking may feel calming in the moment, nicotine withdrawal and temporary relief can sustain a cycle of anxiety and tension.
The research points towards support that addresses nicotine dependence alongside the pressures people are already managing. Accessible community services, closer connections with mental health support, and continued contact when life becomes difficult all feature in residents’ accounts of what would make a difference.
Written and curated by Dr David Palmer, with and photography by Anne-Marie Briscombe, the exhibition also includes an original poem drawn from the study. Combining participants’ accounts with the author’s own poetic language, it offers another way to engage with the emotional experience of smoking and quitting.
Visitors are invited to reflect on a question that runs through the exhibition: “What would have helped you?”
See It’s Not About Not Knowing at Bexley Civic Offices, 2 Watling Street, Bexleyheath, DA6 7AT, from 13 October until the end of October 2026.
For anyone considering stopping smoking, Mind in Bexley offers a free, 12-week programme of one-to-one, face-to-face support, including help with cravings, triggers and coping strategies. Call 020 8303 8932, email info@mindinbexley.org.uk, or find out how to join our Smoking Cessation Programme.
