Psychological stress among the families of users of a Psychosocial Care Center in the interior of the State of São Paulo was investigated. Nine family members identified as caregivers of these users participated: they were mostly female, aged 60-76 years and from lower social classes. A semi-structured guide was used for the interviews, covering the caregiver's freely reported life history, the meaning attributed to caring and the impact of mental illness on the interviewees' and relatives' lives. Thematic analysis on the interviews enabled identification of psychological stress (nervousness and depression) among these relatives, including caregivers, and administration of psychiatric treatment using anxyolitic drugs. The presence of mental stress not only in the user but also among family members may imply greater burden on the caregiver, because of the accumulation of tasks, and may indicate the need for attention and intervention among families by healthcare teams.
Caregivers; Psychological stress; Mental health; Family relations
