Paradox of Mental Health

In the Paradox of Mental Health, the authors argue that our society is experiencing another pandemic-one of mental illness. This mental illness pandemic is maintained and escalated by conceptual "e;viruses"e; rooted in the normative, psychological medical model paradigm consistent with Western ideology. Therapeutic practice based on systems theory and social constructionism is offered as an antidote to alleviate the over-reliance on the medical model. The authors first "e;do therapy"e; on the concept of the normative, medical model; then explicate the concepts and application of systems theory and social constructionism; and finally, offer potential solutions to the mental illness pandemic.