Part 2/6:
One of the most pervasive ways colonial mental health wellness manifests is through the emphasis on control. The prevailing narrative suggests that individuals should be able to manage their thoughts, feelings, minds, and bodies by exerting force or discipline over them. This approach implies that discomfort and resistance are necessary components for emotional regulation, promoting the idea that self-control requires effort and often, pain.
This ideology encourages individuals to suppress or regulate natural responses, reinforcing a cycle where emotional suppression becomes normalized. It shifts responsibility entirely onto the individual, absolving societal and systemic influences from accountability.