I’m a person who likes plans and schedules.

I’m also a person who likes to forget and ignore making plans and scheduling things to take care of myself.

This week I’ve been busy scheduling haircuts, eye appointments, checking into CBD oil (more on that when it arrives!), scheduling therapy appointments and knowing when I need to show up and meet deadlines and when I can take breaks.

It’s not pampering, it’s care. It’s not things that are ok to put off, it’s things I need now.

One of the hardest things about PTSD is that taking care of your own needs can be overwhelming, making plans and scheduling appointments – then keeping them – can be challenging and ever-changing symptoms can be obstacles to knowing what care you need and when you need it!

I find it helpful to write down appointments I need to schedule when I notice I need them, then schedule the appointment when I feel able to manage my calendar and needs at the same time. Some days I have a lot of work and addressing those responsibilities takes most of my energy, so making appointments for myself is just one more thing to do, and I tend to skip it to reduce the demands on my energy and attention. But writing the needed appointment on my to-do list has helped me to not ignore it for too long and get to it when I can.