ABSTRACT
Objective:
The aim of this study was to investigate the care provided to people in crisis situations in the mental health services in Brazil, according to reports of workers of these services.
Methods:
Qualitative research, which analyzed reflective portfolios of 156 workers taking the Urgency and Crisis in Mental Health Course.
Results:
The workers describe care as taking place, primarily, by means of drug containment, followed by mechanical restraint and hospitalization, actions that prioritize symptom reduction, devaluing suffering and putting those who suffer into the background.
Conclusion:
The study reveals the existence of a gap between the reality of the services and the criteria professed by the mental health policies in the country. It demonstrates implications for the mental health care practice and in the consolidation of care modalities established on psychosocial care based on the right to liberty and on respect for human dignity.
Keywords:
Crisis Intervention; Medicalization; Mental Health; Hospitalization; Health Services Accessibility