Abstract

The paper highlights how youth of African descent address their mental health and substance use (MHSU) problems in Nova Scotia. Data was collected from youth participants aged 18-25 through semi-structured interviews (n = 60) and focus group discussions (n = 8 groups). The research participants identified four primary coping strategies: receiving non-judgmental support and space; managing stigma by withholding information or treatment from family; drawing on family as a source of healing; and preferring collective approaches to recovery over individual therapy. The findings emphasize the interaction between youth resilience and collective practices in how participating youth of African descent navigate between informal support networks, cultural practices, and limited formal services to determine how they respond to and manage their MHSU challenges. Feedback from youth participants stress the need for culturally informed, and community-embedded interventions that balance individual care practices with collective ways of healing. It is also essential for mental health services to recognize the complexities of stigma, family dynamics and influence, and cultural fit to the well-being of health-seeking youth.

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