Reabilitação psicossocial e trabalho: Experiências de usuários(as) de serviços de saúde mental

Abstract

The achievements of the Psychiatric Reform, the incorporation of the concept of psychosocial disability by the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (PwD) and the Quota Law for PwD can be recognized as advances towards the inclusion of people with severe mental disorders at work. The aim of this study was to understand the possible relationships between employment and the psychosocial rehabilitation process of people with severe mental disorders treated in community mental health services. The specific objectives consisted of: a) describing the socio demographic profile of the participants; b) identifying facilitating and hindering elements in the work trajectory and c) creating a space for mental health service users to exchange experiences about work. The descriptive study was developed with a qualitative approach and the use of interviews. Ten people attending a community mental health service in a city in the interior of Minas Gerais participated. Thematic content analysis guided data processing and resulted in four categories: Repercussions of the diagnosis on mental health; Work history; Current Work and Meanings of Work. The repercussions of the diagnosis on mental health are evident in aspects of social relationships, schooling and work, pointing to the need for greater consistency in intersectoral actions for more effective social insertion. In Labor History, characteristics of the participants' trajectory are addressed, such as early work and employment relationships. All participants experienced varied work situations, with greater permanence and overload through formal work, and greater flexibility in working hours and less overload in the informal market. In Current Work, different employment conditions are identified, between formal employment, informal employment and unemployment. Among the barriers to accessing and remaining at work are working hours, physical/mental overload and stigmas expressed in interpersonal relationships. Social support between peers and managers was described as a facilitating element. The Meanings of Work include participants' considerations about the impacts of the presence or absence of work activity in their lives. Work is seen as a health promotion factor, in addition to representing autonomy, affirmation of identity, female empowerment, expansion of social participation, improvement of subjective processes. Remuneration had less emphasis in relation to self-realization and personal satisfaction. The study highlights the importance of community mental health services encouraging the involvement and strengthening of users, families and the community with a view to a more creative and autonomous life through work.