Objective:

To present the results of a study with a psychosocial approach that aimed to examine the autonomy of people with mental suffering cared for at psychosocial care centres from the perspective of work, based on the perceptions of the users and their families, and using the psychosocial rehabilitation framework and Agnes Heller's theory of everyday life.

Methods:

Four psychosocial care centres were selected, and 40 people collaborated with the research through semi-structured interviews analysed with the Collective Subject Discourse technique.

Results:

Although the users wanted to have a job, they showed no initiative, as there are impediments to carrying out work activities due to the side effects of the medication and the obstacles posed by third parties concerned about the loss of social benefits. Prejudice was seen as a mechanism that negatively interferes with social relations and empowerment for autonomy. Expectations of resuming studies and participation in voluntary activities, especially religious ones, were frequent in the users' discourse.

Conclusions:

There is an urgent need to expand territorial spaces so that the users of mental health services can be protagonists of their own autonomy and carry out their occupations in the area of productivity with greater ownership.

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