Posted in Mental Health, Mental Health Research, Trowbridge Guru, Trowbridge Service Users Group

Mental Illness in Wiltshire and Trowbridge: Types, Prevalence, and Severity in Relation to Commonality

  Published Date: August 18, 2025
Mental illnesses affect many people in Wiltshire, including Trowbridge, mirroring global and national patterns. Conditions range from common ones such as anxiety and depression to less common but typically more severe illnesses such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. This paper adapts global and national data to highlight the local context: Wiltshire has a mixture of urban and rural populations, with pockets of deprivation and service access challenges. Importantly, severity does not always track with commonality—common conditions account for most cases, but rarer illnesses often carry the greatest per-person impact.

Date: 18 August 2025 | Audience: Wiltshire and Trowbridge residents, community advocates, service users, and local planners

Executive Summary

Mental illnesses affect many people in Wiltshire, including Trowbridge, mirroring global and national patterns. Conditions range from common ones such as anxiety and depression to less common but typically more severe illnesses such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. This paper adapts global and national data to highlight the local context: Wiltshire has a mixture of urban and rural populations, with pockets of deprivation and service access challenges. Importantly, severity does not always track with commonality—common conditions account for most cases, but rarer illnesses often carry the greatest per-person impact.

Key points for Wiltshire and Trowbridge

  • Anxiety and depression are the most common conditions locally, with prevalence rates in line with England averages (around 1 in 6 adults experiencing symptoms in any given week).
  • Severe mental illnesses (SMI) such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are less common but more disabling. Local NHS data shows challenges in timely access to community mental health services for people with SMI.
  • Eating disorders are increasingly recognised in Wiltshire, with rising referrals to specialist services, particularly among young people.
  • Cuts to social care and limited crisis support in Wiltshire exacerbate risks of isolation and poor outcomes for people with mental illness in Trowbridge.

Local Types of Mental Illness

Following national and global classifications (ICD‑11/DSM‑5), the key groups remain:

  1. Anxiety disorders (e.g., generalized anxiety, panic, phobias)
  2. Depressive disorders (major depressive disorder, dysthymia)
  3. Bipolar and related disorders (bipolar I/II)
  4. Schizophrenia spectrum and other primary psychotic disorders
  5. Feeding and eating disorders (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge‑eating disorder, OSFED)

In Wiltshire, additional local concerns include co-occurring substance misuse, autism and ADHD, and social isolation in rural communities, which intersect with the above conditions.

How Common Are These Conditions Locally?

  • England-wide prevalence (APMS 2023/24): Around 1 in 6 adults experience a common mental health disorder (CMD) in any given week. Wiltshire is expected to mirror this trend, suggesting tens of thousands of local residents affected.
  • Severe mental illness: Local NHS and council data indicate that thousands of Wiltshire residents are registered on the GP SMI register, with many based in towns like Trowbridge.
  • Eating disorders: Wiltshire’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) report rising demand, particularly among teenage girls and young adults, in line with national increases.

How Severe Are They Locally?

  • Per-person severity: As elsewhere, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder carry the highest per-person risks, including hospitalization, crisis presentations, and reduced life expectancy.
  • Population burden: Anxiety and depression dominate in terms of numbers, straining GP services and community counselling provision in Wiltshire.
  • Service challenges: Long waiting lists for therapy, reduced social care budgets, and gaps in crisis response services in Wiltshire amplify severity impacts.

Local Inequalities and Context

  • Rural/urban divide: In rural Wiltshire villages, isolation and poor public transport worsen access to services, while in Trowbridge, deprivation and housing issues add further pressures.
  • Youth mental health: Schools in Trowbridge report significant concerns about anxiety, self-harm, and exam stress. Referrals to CAMHS are increasing but capacity is limited.
  • Older adults: Depression and dementia-related mental health issues are under-identified in Wiltshire’s ageing population, with loneliness a major risk factor.

Implications for Wiltshire and Trowbridge

  • Expand early support hubs: Community spaces in Trowbridge could offer drop-in mental health support, reducing isolation and pressure on GPs.
  • Protect and enhance specialist services: Ensure timely access to early intervention in psychosis, eating disorder pathways, and crisis teams.
  • Partnership working: Strengthen collaboration between NHS, Wiltshire Council, voluntary groups (such as Trowbridge Service Users Group), and local schools.
  • Tackle inequalities: Address barriers in rural transport, housing insecurity, and stigma that prevent people from accessing help.

References (selected)

  • NHS Digital & NatCen. Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (APMS) 2023/4, Part 1 (England prevalence).
  • Wiltshire Council. Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) – Mental Health.
  • Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (AWP). Annual Quality Account reports.
  • World Health Organization (WHO). Global prevalence figures for depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.
  • Santomauro et al. GBD 2019 eating disorder estimates.

Companion files (see chat for download links):

(Note: While figures use global estimates for comparability, the discussion has been tailored to the Wiltshire and Trowbridge context.)

Author: admin