Psychoanalysis, mental health and the industry of evidence

Resumos

In this paper we problematize the question of whether psychoanalysis has evidence of effectiveness. This study is important because in several countries that are a reference in the field of health, a practice must have evidence of effectiveness in order to be accepted; and although many studies have shown the effectiveness of psychoanalysis, several countries still do not consider it an evidence-based treatment. We identified, inside and outside the psychoanalytic field, some reasons why psychoanalysis is not considered an evidence-based treatment. In this article, we do not only problematize the question, but also reveal a number of studies that prove the effectiveness of psychoanalytic treatment for a series of mental disorders.

Key words: Psychoanalysis; mental health; evidence-based practice