Dynamics of hospitalization and treatment of women at the Juliano Moreira hospice, Belém/PA

Abstract

The Juliano Moreira Asylum (JM), founded in 1919 in Belém, Pará, was one of the leading psychiatric institutions in northern Brazil. In its early years, the asylum faced problems such as overcrowding and precarious conditions, reflecting the traditional treatment model based on patient isolation. Understanding the history of the asylum is an important milestone in preventing the repetition of psychiatric practices based on forced hospitalization, misdiagnosis, isolation, and electroshock. A comprehensive approach to women's mental health requires dignified and inclusive treatment, so as not to "incarcerate" women, even in the absence of mental "pathologies," whether by family members, police officers, or psychiatrists. Therefore, we present a literature review of the clinical profile of JM inmates, based on a survey of public documents from the Pará Public Archives and scientific literature on women's mental health, post-Brazilian psychiatric reform, gender studies, and phenomenological studies. The aim is to uncover mechanisms of domination based on the euphemism of "treatment" in mental health and to present strategies for humanization.