How to address your issues: It’s like containing the spread of a virus

During the recent COVID-19 pandemic, I’ve been struck by how straightforward the steps are which cities, provinces, states and countries need to take to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. I’ve also been surprised by how many jurisdictions have executed these steps with predictably good results in containing the spread while others have failed largely or partially to execute these steps with predictably bad results at containment.

My observations led me to consider as a psychologist how similarly straightforward the steps are to use coping skills to be successful at addressing various issues in therapy along with how, just as with containing the spread of a virus, success is ultimately determined by whether the steps are executed properly.

In the following sections, I will discuss the analogy between containing the spread of a virus and addressing issues in therapy by focusing on how identifying and executing steps is pivotal to success in both endeavours.

Flattening the curve: Begin with intensive work in therapy

Societies which have successfully contained the virus began with the daunting task of ‘flattening the curve’. For most areas of the world, this entailed reining in the exponential increase in cases through spreading not only to lessen suffering and death, but also to avoid overwhelming hospital systems. Flattening the curve required drastic steps including requiring all but essential activities and services to shut down while most people were asked to ‘shelter in place’ to prevent further spread. This lockdown strategy necessarily delivered a huge blow to the economies of societies around the world and required governments to quickly develop programs to prevent economic collapse as well as to prevent people from starving and being put out on the street.

Societies which followed the advice of health experts by executing these drastic steps were rewarded for their sacrifices by achieving the flattening of the curve, thereby bringing the level of spread of the virus to a manageable level.

In a similar manner, people’s lives can be so negatively affected by various issues that they also need to take steps to ‘flatten the curve’.  As with reining in exponential growth of a virus by a society, much work and sacrifice is required by a person to ‘rein in’ the issues they are struggling with so that they are no longer having significant negative effects on their lives in areas such as work or school and relationships. Flattening the curve in this context often entails the individual meeting regularly with a psychologist or other therapist to work on their issues during and between sessions.

As with the lockdowns societies instituted to rein in the spread of COVID-19, the period of hard work and sacrifice to flatten the curve of issues disrupting a person’s life can last for a substantial period of time before sufficient progress has been made. However, just as societies which patiently persevere in implementing steps to rein in the spread of a virus were ultimately rewarded for their efforts, individuals who patiently persevere in implementing steps to ‘rein in’ their issues are ultimately rewarded for their efforts by no longer having those issues significantly disrupt their lives.

Keeping the curve flattened: Continue using therapy skills on an ongoing basis

Societies all over the world have discovered that their hard work was not over after flattening the curve. Taking steps on an ongoing basis to prevent subsequent exponential spreads of the virus was necessary. These steps included doing extensive diagnostic testing and contact tracing to identify new cases and prevent them from turning into outbreaks along with requiring citizens to diligently follow best practices to prevent virus transmission through social distancing, wearing masks and washing or sanitizing hands and surfaces.

Societies which diligently followed these steps following the initial flattening of the curve have been successful in keeping the number of cases at manageable levels. In contrast, those societies which have not followed these steps have seen a recurrence of exponential growth which has required them to revert to the more effortful steps they had previously instituted to flatten the curve again. This has created much more sacrifice by citizens and has imposed significantly greater costs to the economy and to the health of its citizens compared with what has occurred in societies which diligently implemented steps to contain the spread of the virus following the initial flattening of the curve.

In a similar manner, individuals who regularly execute steps following the initial flattening of their curves are successful in managing their issues after their time in intensive therapy. This entails continuing to apply the skills they learned in therapy to concerns which arise in their lives such as stressful events and adversity they encounter at work or school, in relationships and in other domains. Continuing to apply these skills allows the individual to prevent these ‘new cases’ from turning into ‘outbreaks’ which have a significant negative impact on their lives and which may ultimately require a return to therapy.

So whether we are referring to a society dealing with a virus wreaking havoc on the health of its citizens and its economy or an individual faced with issues which are disrupting their lives, diligently following the best practices recommend by experts is the route to success in initially flattening the curve and in subsequently keeping the curve flattened.

May you take the steps to flatten your curve and keep it flattened,

Dr. Pat