Women, madness and care: the condition of the woman that both receives and provides care in mental health

Abstract

The current Brazilian public policies in mental health are stimulating the creation of out-of-hospital services. As a result, the role of the family, especially of the woman, in the informal care provided for a mental illness patient is increasing in importance. Although the woman is considered fundamental in providing care for the family, she may also get ill and demand care from mental health teams. In this case, the woman is both providing and demanding care. This paper presents a literature review on the condition of the woman that both receives and provides care in mental health. This review starts with studies that discuss the relationship between woman and madness, from Classical Age's records to studies conducted in Brazil in the beginning of the 20th century. The paper then focuses on literature that discusses the woman's role as the main informal caretaker at home, using studies that adopt, as discussion reference, the impact of this role on family life. Finally, it comments on literature that approaches the special needs of the woman who demands care in mental health, especially women who have small children. Recognition of the specificities of the woman's condition may aid the development of new forms of care which involve the whole family in a mental health intervention. Women with small children and suffering from severe mental illness demand professional support, especially if they need hospitalization or continuous treatment.