Burnout, anxiety disorders, addiction: Despite seemingly optimal living conditions, more and more people are affected by mental illnesses and their consequences. And when the soul suffers, the reflection in the mirror also looks unhappy. The aesthetic medical center Juvenis addresses both sides: The team of Prof. Dr. Tamara Kopp is dedicated to body & soul – the inner and outer beauty and health as well as the psyche of each patient.

Mr. Spock would probably twitch his ears wildly if he could see the world we live in today. Nothing is impossible, freedom seems boundless. We can believe whatever we want, live relationships as we imagine them in our wildest dreams, and work at whatever brings us joy. And if we wish, we can even reinvent ourselves every day. Wonderland? Not quite. For where there is light, there is, as is well known, also shadow. And that manifests itself in a certain loss of structure: today there are only a few social stabilizers left, such as faith and church, the traditional family and lifelong secure employment. Everything is permanently in flux and changing.

The result: mental illnesses are on the rise. In Austria alone, according to recent publications, around 1.2 million people have mental problems. "It's not only stigmatized fringe groups that are affected, but the general population," says Dr. Jutta Leth, specialist in psychiatry & psychotherapeutic medicine, "Only rapid action and specialist medical and therapeutic interventions prevent symptoms from becoming diseases."

People are body & soul

The WHO is not calling the 21st century the century of neuro-psychological disorders for nothing: depression, dementias, anxiety disorders, addiction, ADHD, personality development disorders, burnout & co are considered the greatest future health challenge. Studies report a 65 percent increase in hospital days due to psychological reasons, a doubling of work absences caused by psychological issues and an increase in early retirement. The psychopharmaceutical market is booming, as is substance use. Stress is no longer solely a manager's ailment: according to a study by the Chamber of Labour, 40 percent of workers and employees complain of stress, demotivation, exhaustion and overload.

With a holistic health approach, JUVENIS takes a progressive stance on the issue. 'Our goal is to strengthen the inner and outer beauty of each person, to keep them healthy and, when necessary, to heal them,' says Mag. Jürgen Steurer, clinical and health psychologist. Preserving or restoring the inner radiance is part of JUVENIS's concept. 'A person consists of body and soul. That is why, with us, psychological therapies, medical treatments and aesthetic procedures go hand in hand.' Only the healthy mix makes one content and happy and thus ultimately also beautiful.

Generation "higher, faster, further"

In a world where everything is possible, the pressure to exhaust all those possibilities naturally increases. What is demanded: eternal youth and continuous growth; physical limits are simply ignored. The magic formula: self-responsibility, self-organization and self-construction are chic and the measure of all things. At the same time, traditions and our family structures are increasingly dissolving: patchwork and single households offer little support and religion has outlived its usefulness. The question of belonging and meaning therefore has to be addressed differently. Unfortunately, to this day there is no manual for this life in the fast lane. We are all confronted with ever more needs that compete with one another: 'We want freedom and security at the same time, autonomy and control, public life and intimacy — and we wonder why the soul sooner or later rips apart,' says Mag. Jürgen Steurer.

Who is mentally ill?

A troubled soul is, of course, not as easy to diagnose as a common cold. 'It is often a balancing act between pathologizing and trivializing,' says Dr. Jutta Leth. Persistent anxieties, recurring sadness and despair, the inability to cope with a life crisis, sleep disorders, eating disorders, health problems for which the doctor finds no physical cause — all of these are warning signs. It is important to seek help quickly: 'Early intervention prevents symptoms from becoming chronic illnesses and leading to limitations in social, family or health-related life,' says Dr. Jutta Leth.

Protection & Shelter

JUVENIS reaches out a helping hand far and wide. It offers advice and assistance, diagnosis and medication, therapy concepts and preventive measures — all under one roof. 'We accompany our patients, but we also give them concrete tools they can work with to become or remain healthy.' Empathy, emotion regulation, impulse control, frustration tolerance and the development of coping strategies are at the top of the tool list. 'We rely on realistic optimism,' says Dr. Jutta Leth. 'That means: we help set realistic goals in which setbacks do not discourage and the patient experiences a sense of meaning.'

Quick appointment scheduling and an appealing ambiance are part of JUVENIS's offering, as is the interdisciplinary collaboration of all physicians. For every psychological problem, a clear treatment concept, good manageability and the ability to integrate the treatment into everyday life are important and indispensable for success.

The goal at JUVENIS is, in the truest sense of the word, a more beautiful world in which every person feels healthy, comfortable and beautiful in their role, in their surroundings and ultimately in their own skin. "Recognizing the connection between beauty, mental and physical health and implementing and living it medically is a matter close to our hearts," says co-founder Prof. Dr. Tamara Kopp. "More than that: it is also our duty as modern female physicians — and our mission as human beings."