Território e saúde mental: Um estudo sobre a experiência de usuários de um centro de atenção psicossocial, Salvador, Bahia, Brasil

Abstract

This paper results from researchdeveloped among users of a psychosocialcare center, in Salvador, Brazil. It aimed tounderstand how experience of territoryuse among these users could contributetowards broadening the centers'possibilities for action. With thisobjective, we conducted three casestudies, using techniques of systematicobservation of users' day-to-dayroutines, record-keeping in fieldworkdiaries and auto-biographical interviews,involving analytical categories such as:the relationship between users andterritory; economic and work spaces; andcultural, symbolic and aesthetic spaces.The users' territory was presented as aproblematic territory, in the sense that itimposed non-passivity in relation to theobject systems, thereby challenging themto formulate alternatives for the problemsexperienced in daily life. Thus, thechallenge for psychosocial care centersthat has emerged is for them to "finetune"their clinical practices to thespecificities of the contexts and practicesexperienced by users.