Mavie.care >> Mental Health & Stress Study

There is often a plan B in life, but what about our health? There is no substitute for that. That's why it's so important to look after our health and recognize warning signs early on, such as stress. We asked almost 400 Austrians how their mental health is and what the biggest stress factors are. The findings from the study are eye-opening.

Although two thirds of Austrians rate their mental health as (very) good, more than half say that they are (very) often stressed - and that this stress is increasing. Do we lack awareness of our mental health? And what actually stresses us out the most? The most important findings from the Mavie Mental Health & Stress Study.

Graphic with a donut chart: 54% of Austrians feel (very) frequently stressed. The corresponding section of the chart is highlighted in red.

Bar chart showing the effects of stress over the past 12 months.
Most frequently reported:
– Irritability (~47%),
– Sleep disorders (~44%),
– Concentration difficulties (~38%),
– Feeling overwhelmed (~33%),
– Exhaustion/Burnout (~32%).

Graphic titled “What stresses us the most.” Three arrows show stress factors:
70% Work (red upward arrow),
16% Family (yellow area),
14% Private life (green downward arrow).

54% of respondents stated that they were (very) frequently stressed. Work is the biggest stress factor compared to family and private life. The effects on physical and mental health due to the high level of stress can be felt in many ways: Stress-related irritability and sleep problems affect almost 50% of Austrians. Difficulty concentrating (33%), excessive demands (30%) as well as exhaustion and burnout (30%) were also named as frequent effects. The results of the study clearly show that stress can also have an impact on physical health: digestive disorders, skin problems, immune deficiencies or muscle pain as well as cardiovascular diseases were cited as a result of severe stress.

Graphic showing physical effects of stress, featuring an illustration of a stressed-looking person.
23% digestive problems,
19% skin issues,
16% weakened immune system,
15% muscle pain,
8% cardiovascular diseases.

Graphic titled “Top 3 most stressful situations at work”: 1. Conflicts with colleagues & team members, 2. Performance and deadline pressure, 3. Conflicts with supervisor or manager

But what causes the excessive stress to which we Austrians are exposed?
Whether privately or professionally, situations that involve something interpersonal (e.g. not meeting someone's expectations, conflicts) or that are externally driven (e.g. financial topics) are the most stressful. On the other hand, situations that only affect us are less stressful. This is also reflected in the day-to-day work of Mavie consultants: self-care is deprioritized. It is therefore hardly surprising that 62% of respondents did not take a single day off sick due to stress or its consequences.

Illustration of a person with head down and hands covering their face – conveying stress, overwhelm, or sadness.

And what about our mental health?
A large proportion, almost 2/3, rate their mental health as (very) good, but financial (39%) and work-related stress (33%), as well as fears about the future (31%) are considered the main factors for a deterioration in mental health. Many Austrians already use conversations with friends or family, but this strategy seems to be exhausted more quickly than one would wish. For 32%, targeted relaxation measures such as yoga, wellness or meditation are helpful. However, around a quarter stated that they do not make use of any measures at all. The main reason for this is a lack of time.

It is therefore particularly important to offer low-threshold measures with the aim of providing people with solution-oriented support in all life situations, strengthening their mental and physical health and building up stress resistance.

Portrait of a woman with shoulder-length brown hair, smiling warmly at the camera. She is wearing a dark green top with a matching cardigan against a light background.

Claudia Turecek

Psychological counselor at Mavie

At Mavie, we help people to take care of their physical and mental health preventatively.

With the Mavie Work health programs, we offer companies low-threshold health programs that enable their employees to do something for their health directly at the workplace, for example through personal consultations with psychosocial advisors.

The MavieMe health tests enable a simple and convenient health check directly from home. The blood tests can, for example, help to understand reasons for mood swings or a lack of energy - and provide helpful tips for improvement.