212. The National Security State is BLASTING Your Mental Health - Resist! w/ Burqas and Beer Podcast — Colonial Outcasts

Hosted by Medina Wardak and Kaina Weiserzakina, this episode of Burkas and Beer critiques the commodification of wellness, arguing that Western self-care often ignores systemic issues like poverty and militarism. The guests discuss how decolonizing wellness requires addressing root causes such as housing insecurity and intergenerational trauma, particularly within Afghan refugee communities. They explore the psychological impact of U.S. foreign policy and the necessity of communal support over hyper-individualistic coping mechanisms. The conversation concludes with practical strategies for …

Topics discussed

Sponsor: Shopify Metallica's 'apolitical' stance and top 10 list Welcome to Colonial Outcasts Defining wellness in a time of crisis Guests' backgrounds in social work Critique of Western wellness culture Colonization of wellness practices Decolonizing wellness and systemic access Sponsor: American Nurses Association NY Wellness tourism and cultural appropriation Systemic issues vs. individual coping Housing, food, and basic needs as wellness Social work as a bandage for societal issues Disparities in therapeutic access and VA care US history, reparations, and reconciliation Systems theory and designed fragility Militarism as a sociocultural issue Sponsor: Shopify Pledge of Allegiance and national identity Veteran identity and military indoctrination Surveillance, fear, and safety narratives Intergenerational trauma in Afghan families War's impact on mental health and family Staying sane amidst constant tragedy Radical acceptance and control Algorithmic fear and disengaging from social media Sacredness of life and death Laughter and nature as therapy Sponsor: American Nurses Association NY Digital detox and phone addiction Is it possible to be apolitical? Music, CIA, and the 'apolitical' dog whistle Avoidance and the inevitability of politics Band recommendations and political shifts Nostalgia and conscious disengagement Therapy costs and political awakening Community events and finding joy Importance of discussing systems and wellness Orwellian parallels and threat consolidation Sponsor: Vanta Benefits of going off the grid Balancing social media use Phone habits and cognitive capacity Closing remarks and call to action Sponsor: Shopify Sponsor: American Nurses Association NY

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212. The National Security State is BLASTING Your Mental Health - Resist! w/ Burqas and Beer Podcast

Summary

Topics discussed