I have a friend that is a remarkable songwriter and singer. She has writen quite a few songs. One is particular is about PTSD, post traumatic stress disorder. This song(click to hear) When Your Soldier Comes Home is available for a free mp3 download or you can buy the CD. I urge everyone that knows a soldier or a soldiers family to go and listen to this touching song. This song has been in the top on Neil Young's website, LIVING WITH WAR TODAY, since June 2006.
This is what she has to say:
There has been ALOT of press about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in the news media for the last couple of weeks. Dan Rather did a show on it, Dear Abby did a column dedicated to it, NPR did a show devoted to PTSD and new medical studies have been released in the last few days. Because of that, and because of the number of people that have contacted me about "When Your Soldier Comes Back Home", I decided to offer this song as a free download off my MySpace page. PLEASE feel free to get this song to anybody that may need to hear it, particularly the FAMILY and FRIENDS of combat veterans. More and more veterans are reaching out for assistance. That's great but their loved ones need to be educated about what PTSD is and how they can help. I like to think that my song might a first step toward understanding. I certainly hope so.
MarthaAnnBrooks
© 2005 Martha Ann Brooks (BMI)
When your soldier comes back home
You will be happy
You want things to be like they were before
But your soldier has been forged through trial by fire
After all he lived through war
Be patient when you see he’s not the same
Your soldier’s changed
When your soldier comes back home
He will be different
He’ll think about those that gave their lives
He might be feelin guilty that he’s living
He will keep that guilt inside
It may show sometimes in things he’ll say and do
Please help him through
Chorus:
War is never over
For the ones who fought side by side
They are bruised and battered
The deepest wounds don’t show outside
You may think that time will heal
There is no healing
The days are like sandbags around him
But ghosts will not be held back by a wall
Bad memories always win
If you love him you must be the one who stays
You must be strong
When your soldier comes back home
Chorus:
War is never over
For the ones who fought side by side
They are bruised and battered
The deepest wounds don’t show outside
PTSD needs to be out there so people understand it. I just wish wars would end forever.
ReplyDeletexoxo
Even if the war ended right now, the aftermath will haunt our society for decades. Good going, W. BRING THE TROOPS HOME!! Too much damage has been done already. Sad.
ReplyDeleteRuss
The Paul Hardcastle song "19", which is about Vietnam, also deals with this issue.
ReplyDeleteI was diagnosed with PTSD about twenty years ago following a rape that left me in ICU. It has gotten better with time, but there are times it comes back full force and there is nothing that I can do about it. SOmetimes drugs help. I can't imagine what soldiers in combate endure--my life was only in danger about four hours or so...they endure weeks and months and years of that high stress that implants itself on the brain.
ReplyDelete