Background: Afghanistan is a strong and respected country in terms of culture and tradition, and Afghans value their cultural and traditional practices deeply. Mental health is considered a major global concern, particularly in Afghanistan. Mental health challenges in Afghanistan are silently increasing, often hidden due to societal stigma, limited access to mental health services, and deeply rooted cultural norms. In areas such as Nangarhar, where formal psychological care is still developing, many people rely on familiar religious and traditional coping practices.

Methods: A total of 834 community members participated in a survey assessing demographic characteristics, including age, gender, and education, as well as the coping approaches they used when experiencing emotional or mental health challenges.

Results: Most respondents were young men (73.4%) aged between 19 and 30 years, with a university education. The findings showed that prayer (45.3%) and Quran recitation (38.4%) were the most commonly practiced religious coping methods. Among traditional coping approaches, spending time alone (37.9%) and talking with family members (36.2%) were the most frequently reported. Perceptions regarding the effectiveness of these practices varied, with 37.9% of participants considering them very helpful, while 21.3% reported that they were not helpful at all.

Conclusion: The findings indicate that people in Nangarhar rely heavily on familiar, faith-based, and culturally rooted approaches to cope with mental health challenges. However, perceptions regarding the effectiveness of these methods vary among individuals. These insights can assist local leaders and health organizations in bridging traditional beliefs with modern mental health approaches to provide support that is both culturally respectful and effective.

Keywords: Mental Health, Healing, Tradition, Religion, Nangarhar, Coping, Quran, Prayer.