Bridging the divide. Integrating addiction and mental health care in the Brazilian Psychiatric Reform

Abstract

This article examines the complex relationship between mental health care and substance use treatment in Brazil, specifically analyzing how the separation between these fields has evolved within the context of the Brazilian Psychiatric Reform (RPB). Through qualitative research involving in-depth interviews with mental health professionals, legal professionals, and mental health care users in the state of Bahia, the study explores how the historical divide between mental health and drug addiction treatment has shaped care practices and policies. The research argues that the apparent division between mental health and substance use treatment masks a deeper unity in their challenges, as both fields confront similar institutional logics of control and segregation. The article concludes that advancing a truly democratic psychiatric reform requires moving beyond the health-versus-justice dichotomy to address the intersecting issues of racism, social justice, and human rights in both mental health and addiction care.