Mental suffering, based on the experiences of people who are mentally ill.

Objective: To understand mental suffering from the point of view of the people affected.

Method: A qualitative study was carried out with 22 users of Primary Health Care units in Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil. The data were collected through individual interviews using the Oral Life History technique and analysed using Thematic Analysis.

Results: Two categories emerged: 'Vulnerabilities in the life history of people with mental suffering' and 'Perceiving and living with suffering and/or mental disorder'. The experience was permeated by situations of violence, poverty and abandonment, from childhood to adulthood. The recognition of mental suffering and its consequences was based on behavioural changes and work difficulties, which did not lead them to seek immediate treatment. The difficulty of living with suffering and/or mental disorder is directly related to adherence to treatment.

Final considerations: Subjective aspects present in human life are still disregarded and the late search for professional help seems to result in the stigma and self-stigma of people with mental suffering and/or disorders.