Most cases of suicide attempt are attended in emergency medical services, which should be an excellent opportunity for health professionals to carry out any preventive and therapeutic intervention. However, this kind of opportunity is not always used by the team, which usually exhibits behaviors characterized by hostility and rejection. This study intends to investigate, from the user perception, how is the support to the individual who attempts suicide and suggest strategies that can promote bonding with the healthcare team. This is a descriptive study with a qualitative approach, developed in outpatients referenced by the emergency department of Barbacena, Minas Gerais. We interviewed 28 women with suicide attempt history. The units identification and classification analysis have raised three categories: discrimination, the act of denial, referral. Each category was submitted to qualitative analysis. The low level of training of the care teams and the structural weaknesses of the services induce the professionals to act impersonally, with many difficulties on acting in a humane way. Data analysis indicates the need of improvement on training of health professionals, especially those working in emergency care.
suicide attempted; qualitative research; mental health; emergency medicine