The Lived Experience of Youth Mental Health Care on Cape Breton Island

Abstract

In Nova Scotia, youth often face challenges when seeking care for mental health problems due to a lack of specialty mental health services. Youth in rural and underserves areas of the province face greater challenges than urban youth accessing timely mental health services due to additional factors such as extended wait times and stigmatization. This qualitative phenomenological study focused on youth in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, an underserved area of Nova Scotia, and posed the overarching question: ‘What are the lived experiences of youth who self-identify as having a self-identified, self- defined mental health problem for at least six months?’ Interpretive phenomenology was employed to analyse transcripts from 10 youth. Six overarching, common themes emerged from the data: Trauma; Familial Support; Positive Relations; Negative Internalized Feelings; Service Gaps; and Personal Growth. Many youth faced challenges throughout their lifetimes contributing to their mental health problems, but their extraordinary resilience prevails.