**Abstract**

Caring for Mental Health Care Users (MHCUs) diagnosed with Substance User Disorders (SUDs) is challenging and demanding as nurses reported that these users are untrustworthy. This leaves the nurses emotionally and physically drained. Some of these MHCUs are violent, aggressive, suicidal or homicidal. However, there is no literature found on the nurses' coping strategies when caring for MHCUs diagnosed with SUDS. The purpose of this chapter was to explore and describe the current literature on the nurses' coping strategies when caring for MHCUs diagnosed with SUDs. A narrative literature review was used in this chapter. JSTOR, Google Scholar, Sabinet Online, African Journals and Science Direct databases were used to search relevant and current literature using the following keywords: coping, coping strategies, nurses, care, caring, mental health care users, psychiatric patients, substance abuse, substance-related disorders and substance use disorders. Six themes emerged in this chapter namely nurses' resilience, peer support, management support, strengthening the multidisciplinary team (MDT) approach, open-door policy as well as education and training. The findings and recommendations of this chapter may assist nurses of all categories to provide quality care, treatment and rehabilitation services when caring for MHCUs who are diagnosed with SUDs.

**Keywords:** caring, coping strategies, mental health care users, nurses, substance use disorders
