Talking Post-Trauma Blues (PTSD)

[taurine13]

Thank you Tom.



[DaniBinegar]

I work at the VA & assess vets w/ traumatic brain injury (TBI), dementia, & other neurological disorders (&PTSD as well) 4 degree of cognitive deficits. A very different person comes through my office depending on what theater of war they come from (WWII, VN, Desert Storm, OIF/OEF). Yet the debilitating effects of PTSD and TBI do not discriminate. I showed this video in a talk I gave to civilians on PTSD and TBI. Thank you for giving me something REAL to show ppl who otherwise, had no idea..

[TomSmithMusic]

@DaniBinegar Thank you for your comment on "Talking PT Blues". It pleases me that you found it useful in your work with folks who are trying to deal with traumatic brain injury. Thank you for being there for these vets and their families.

[DobermansRock]

Your last sentence is true. I am running out of places to hide. Damn government sent us then wants to jail us.

[penwarnenlp23]

The New Leaf Programme

Working with Veterans with PTSD

[applesofeyes0]

thanks

[Pomiferous]

Nice song Tom.Sadly ,the conflicts involved with marriage.politics and career building are also likely suspects.I doubt very many people are not infected by the disorder in one way or another.

[shonymusica]

Like the Americans the Israelis have come to know what PTSD means over and over and over again, and like the Americans the Israelis have innocently lived for too long without really knowing about PTSD and what it means. I am an indirect casualty of PTSD and I have recently documented our own personal experience with it in my video "The other Home Coming". It just happens that we here too are playing guitars, I am touched by your song, thank you for saying what you feel so beautifully.

[TomSmithMusic]

@shonymusica Thank you for your kind comment. Wishing you and your brother healing and peace. PTSD belongs to no nation.

[terran97]

best

[CharmedQuarkZ99]

Great Talkin Blues !

[stevetheface]

Less is more ! This great performancer knows exactely what that means ! Great job !

Steve / drummer / The New Fools Belgian Bob  Dylan Tribute Band

[DeliberatelyBroken]

I'm a medically retired Navy corpsman with severe chronic PTSD, and on top of that I have a traumatic brain injury. Apparently the symptoms of the 2 overlap. I'm at 80 percent disabled, and the DAV wants to make it 100%. I felt like the whole song was about me. Thanks for tellin my story.

[93CFD]

@DeliberatelyBroken its hard to get 100 % for ptsd and tbi... i have 80 % also and im rated at 100 % due to unemployability...the reason they awarded me that is because i cannot hold gainfull employment...and i have a history of grosely inappropriate behavure...thats why i got 100% pnt with only 80% disability... they have that polict because so many vets cannot function in society but they are only rated at between 70 and 100 % if you have any questions, dont hesitate to contact me...

[craigsportster]

Excellent- love your style and your message - very dylan-esque-

[persevere4]

Mr. TomSmithMusic – I also am a Vietnam era Vet a desk jockey I want to thank you and am surfing YT today but I want you to know I am compiling a disk of my favorite video’s and you will be on it this song I am watching so long after we both are gone I hope the many copies I will give one to each of my children and grandchildren you and I will sort of live on recorded on a BLUE RAY DISK of my favorites, just thought you might take a little pleasure in knowing that. Take Care

[93CFD]

ive got ptsd and 100%pnt is what they gave me... now i cant work, posess a weapon and cannot get life insurance and all the cops know me by name...they keep me heavily sedated and thats just to stop me from acting out on one of those mailboxes that resemble ieds... great song. you need to make an album if you havnt already... your words remind me that im not the only one with ptsd...

[bloosman1]

Killing people sucks, I don't care who y'are!

[MagicalSunrise1984]

Your video is wonderful and thought provoking

[vegan1dmd]

Brilliant!

[tylerpaulson]

Tom, Thanks for expressing what many cannot and to do it without cursing is impressive. Thanks man. 

[lipovan87]

PTSD is controllable with a proper psychological perspective ( I know this from personal experience) but frequently most people don't have the ability to believe in abstract concepts that allow people to accept what they saw or did. People who don't believe that killing in war is acceptable (many people would freeze when they were about to pull the trigger before modern conditioning) tend to suffer from PTSD when faced with traumatic infliction of violence by or on those they respect.

[lipovan87]

People try to overcome their unwillingness to kill in many ways, some more successful than others. The result is that many manage to do their jobs in the field but then reevaluate their actions from a civilian standpoint and fail to grasp the context. People can work past it by believing that their actions were right or accepting the loss of friends or civilians as the sad price of war.

[MagicalSunrise1984]

@lipovan87

PTSD is not only something that happens to soldiers who have been through war

It also happens to people who experienced a sexual assult or a violent assult of any sort

People with hidden mental disorders (bi-polar, oversensitivities) might develop PTSD quicker than people who are more mentally strong or stable

[MagicalSunrise1984]

@lipovan87 You can say that a woman can work out her PTSD by believing that a dick forced into her vegina against her wish is right and accept it as the sad price of being in the wrong time and place

but... that doesn't really make things any better... no, in fact it doesn't

and most people who do not want to go to the army because they don't want to kill people simply do not go to the army and even risk sitting in jail for it

why? because they believe what they are doing is right

[lipovan87]

Does that say war is never justified? No. Merely that it must waged with a reasonable cause and within the laws of war for the psychological welfare of the soldiers.

Another aspect is that even much of the military cannot fathom true hostility on the part of other people and whole societies than cannot be won over. The desire to be loved comes in harsh conflict with pure hate and people lose confidence in their own cause.

[MagicalSunrise1984]

@lipovan87

What you are saying is interesting.

My personal experience is with sexual assult.

I developed ptsd even thought the assult was not even physical

And it's true that i could not accept it that this person was inflicting violence upon me or that i should inflict violance upon him

I respected him as i do with all human beings

And i suffered great trauma (still do)

So maybe you are right

On the other hand? do i want to be less human?

No. In fact, being MORE human helped me

[MagicalSunrise1984]

@lipovan87

for i chose not to alianate this person or degredate his being but see him as a disabled (mentally) human being of whom i cannot expect the basic conditions of humanity because he has problems in his brain or whatever that should be fixed

as you can see - no feelings (but, perhaps, empathy, compassion, understanding, forgiveness) are involved in this stage

the alternative is to become inhuman and miss out life i guess

i don't know in betweens

but that is also coz i'm bi-pd :(

[lipovan87]

@MagicalSunrise1984

Or perhaps the fullest recognition of the humanity of others is the willingness to acknowledge that some do evil things in the full knowledge of it. That men can choose to be evil as well as good. Rape is never justified but it is part of the world. Some cynicism might be in order.

[MagicalSunrise1984]

@lipovan87

I have reason to believe that people who do evil are incapable of controlling it

as well:

I have reason to belive that people who DON'T do evil are incapable of controlling it

thus: the level of control which one has over his or her life may vary - and very well define the behavior of that person

some people may learn to own their emotions or impulses or behavior/character

and some struggle and have hard times etc

[MagicalSunrise1984]

@lipovan87

for example - the mind of a psychopath indicates that a psychopath is unmoved by pain as normal people are

so psychopaths don't care - they can't

on the other hand - there IS treatment for that - which is promising news

i can tell you 100% that the person who assulted me did not want to behave the way he did but was incapable of displaying a normal human being behavior

I can say so for I was there

What you refer to is rage - violent rage - that is uncontrollable

it is not

[MagicalSunrise1984]

@lipovan87

about 'right or wrong'

but more of how to avoid it

sometimes even teaching a person how to make love can turn him from a guy who rapes his wife 5 times a day because he needs sex and she is supposed to see his needs (in religious cultures such as some muslim i've heard it) to a guy that makes gentle love to his wife and satisfies first her and both him

in western culture he would be considered 'rapist'

!

[lipovan87]

@MagicalSunrise1984

Human beings are not born with self-control. As children, we want everything but realistically have to do without. The process is one of desire, inability to meet that desire, acceptance of inability and ignoring the desire (AKA self-control). Some people are not told no and are not brought up in a way that ensures psychological stability and the respect of other people.

A lot of them are stupid which is one reason they can't satisfy their desire a better way.

[lipovan87]

@MagicalSunrise1984

People do not always think through all the possibilities or in different mindsets. Psychopaths are almost entirely egotistical in that their only concern for pain is themselves. Many of them break down in court full of tears. We assume they are for the victims but rather he cries for himself. I don't know about the neurology of the cases are but even they don't act when faced with the threat of their own death or pain. Rage is controllable. People just don't.

[MagicalSunrise1984]

@lipovan87

You presented important points.

I have encountered a person who suffers psychopathic character pathologies in his behavior so i know very well that stage of bursting with tears for fear of self - and not out of caring for the other.

My point is that psychopaths do not care because they can't - it's their character's deficit.

Yeah, they also (some) feel sorry for themselves that they are practically nearly inhuman.

for example - I told the psycho who assulted me that my

[MagicalSunrise1984]

@lipovan87

feelings for him were based on his giving me the feeling he is pure hearted

he was so excited and wanted me to meet him - and said i am one of the few people who ever noticed that

so i made him feel understood - accepted, loved even

but why do most people do not even see that he wants to be pure hearted? because it's really hard to tell when all he does is hurt others

thus - i have empathy for psychopaths - only i believe they should be treated if it is possible (it is) so

[lipovan87]

@MagicalSunrise1984

I find it reasonable that they are only the more extreme forms of a wider phenomenon; that most people cannot relate to other human beings and yet desire to. They realize their estrangement is not natural or healthy and seek to find some way to at least believe they care for others. Yet the proof of the depth comes out in life and the seriousness of their actions. Psychopaths may have some normal desires but their ability to act properly in full is nil.

[MagicalSunrise1984]

@lipovan87

that crimes like rape or killings of violance can be avoided

and they CAN be avoided

Concerning rage - well, i believe it is controllable, but you have to practice and know the techniques to control it

it's less difficult for some, and more for some others

for example - a psychpath find it impossible to control impulses and is completely unstopped by inflicting pain upon himself or others

[lipovan87]

@MagicalSunrise1984

As controlled violence is my profession as a soldier, I still insist that rage and other such impulses are controllable. People just need the right motivation and processes. In doing so, one goes up against one's own sense of aggression which may be greater in some than in others. Even psychopaths have the ability to control it or they would charge at the prosecutor in a trial. They may desire a normal life but I doubt that they could ever achieve it despite the desire.

[MagicalSunrise1984]

@lipovan87

I can say "rape/war/ violence is never justified but is a part of this world and happens when people do not know - can't seem to demonstrate an alternative way (for rape - having great sex together, attracting those they are attracted to so that they won't be rejected, for war - finding ways to share and live together - not impose selves on others or fight for territory, or religion or whatever)

it will still not enable me or anyone who suffers PTSD to be rid of the syndrom

why?

[lipovan87]

@MagicalSunrise1984

I would say that war is justified :) (my first use of an emoticon) At some point the desires of different societies are mutually exclusive. Society A wants to be able to invest in mines to provide the raw materials for their industries, society B decides to tax the foreigners for their domestic social programs. After some anger and abuses, war results. That's how the Chilean-Peruvian war for the Atacama desert started and they are still angry over it.

[MagicalSunrise1984]

@lipovan87

Because PTSD is about encountering trauma.

Acceptance can help ease pain, but as long as there is no security, and release of trauma, there cannot be healing

Also - a lot of people who develop PTSD had hidden psychological struggles (personality disorders, tendencies to anexiety or even violent behavior) before the trauma and the trauma triggered the breaking out of ALL problems

And yet some people went thru holocaust and say life is a gift and you should live every day to the

[MagicalSunrise1984]

@lipovan87

Fullest

If people could "borrow" ways to deal with their situations and recover - then it can be easier to deal with life

or whatever happens in it

[lipovan87]

@MagicalSunrise1984

I cannot know anything about other psychological disorders being suffered at the same time. Trauma is a drastic and painful change from what was before and the reaction to that pain may be a defense against threats that no longer exist. The only technique I have seen work is just simply to explain that the environment has changed, that the person isn't crazy and the mind's defense mechanisms. I have only used that for Iraq vets though.

[jbjosh100]

hes my computer teacher!

[wimarymae]

As an Art therapist I was asked to do a presentation on PTSD with Vets.  This song was the perfect conclusion to the powerpoint. Thanks for helping me understand

[gladeator1]

Good

[InfantryArmyMom]

Well said and I appreciate you putting together this song,..

[benjaminaaron87]

Great job! Nice talkin' blues!

[TheRevGBones]

Listen

[jonnysep65]

great song....

[infectedpo]

That was fantastic!

[bensky5012]

beuatiful... thank you

[rochud]

I was noding when he talk about his problems. Change President to M O D over here in Englad.

They seat in Warm office while the Dog Soldiers do the job short of Kit .

[AlcuinHimself]

What they all said. Keep up the good work. This is awesome.

[davidvirginvideo]

Thanks for this song Tom,, I keep coming back to hear it,, David

[bloogedy]

i drink a whole lot.

[7777Wolfy7777]

Thank GOD for you, Tom Smith. Your song meant so much to me and I played it for someone I care about that doesn't have PTSD. I do and I think this explains it just fine.

[smile4mejmarie]

Not to me it aint either,,,,way to go man, fantastic lyrics,you hit the nail on the head. Maybe tonight I'll get some sleep, but this ptsd just makes me weep..My "hidden injuries" seem to seap, into my mind ,that I'd like to keep.,Too many people think this is too deep, and off of a bridge they fear I'll leap,I wish most knew that I'm quite together,,,,,there are just some horrible events,that I dont want to remember..

[lepif22]

Great job and keep rockin'

[blackfeatherarchery]

He has it bad.

[stumptacular]

wow from the first verse you totally describe my PTSD... i wish you all the healing possible in the universe friend... i must favorite this video to try to show other people who just cant understand...

[6orillamask]

hidden injuries never stay hidden...great job

[delaneywalsh]

Dude, you FUCKING ROCK! I have complex PTSD and BPD. I love your video and your song! . I'm a singer/songwriter too. I made a video about all the shit going down right now (including the hidden wounds of Veterans) hope you like it. :) Let's all pitch in to right the wrongs!

Peace and Keep on Truckin'!

Delaney

[DeMerchantFamily]

I have Complex PTSD but I can so relate to this song. I have to go Monday to prove yet again for SSI that I have this ... I'm so sick of having to prove 30 years worth of abuse. I'm on so many meds I cant walk straight and no one give a s*it.

[brianjmprb2nd]

Thanks, I watch when I'm gettin to that point of no return and I think nobody cares! You Should Make An Album! HA

[BrandonNorth1120]

Wow, man, this is one of the best talking blues songs i've ever heard!! Everything about it was great, the subjest matter, the rhythm to your voice, your guitar technique..

Anyways, i'll be subsribing after this song! I have a talkin' blues song myself on here, actually, if you'd be interested in hearing it.

[stragglerbird]

perfect subject for the talkin' blues. I hope alot of people get to hear this, because ptsd is much too often overlooked and ignored.

[TheUnknownVet]

Great song Tom. You got it.

I'm a disabled vet with PTSD and I couldn't have said it better.

[SaddleSoreSista1]

This is a fantastic song. As someone who has worked with people who have PTSD, I can understand the message that your sending. Great job!

[thestooty]

you hit it on the head, brother.

[adamatova]

children are brought up now with PTSD as their inheritance from traumatized parents. we're all the walking wounded.

the key is rebuilding trust..........how hard when all has been shattered. but if it's been broken, must believe it can be re-paired.

2 sides - create the whole. around the whole is a protective sheath - that sheath has been nicked and severed. the healing is the journey we've been placed on.

[shas1814]

I hear you, brother.

You're speaking real loud and real clear.

Thank you.

5 stars and a bunch of respect.

Faved and featured.

[mzrockstar2u]

I so appreciate this song and hear what you are saying. Thank you! Im sorry you are going through this and all the others in this world. People need to understand and start caring. Peace bro.

[losthills]

That is a very powerful piece, man.

peace....

[RaZoReDbABe]

things are gonna get crazy in America,once all these soldiers and "kids" come home,just another Vietnam,fucking tragic :( Good job on this man

[Coalbunny]

And too often too many people have this crazy idea that PTSD is only from combat. Let's see you get raped, then laughed at by the cops AS you bleed from the rape; or you get assaulted because some guy doesn't "approve" of your physical disability, and though it's on video the cops do nothing and you have to pay for the medical bills from the assault out of YOUR pocket; or you go to jail for defending yourself from a forced home invasion in a state where it's legal to defend yourself.

[MagicalSunrise1984]

@Coalbunny

Or you are being accused for being a stalker who wants a relationship with a guy who assulted you sexually (not physically), put you down and violated you mentally and emotionally because you decided to not shut up and suffer in silence but confront him with his actions until he is aware and gets up to seek help for his psycho problems

And nobody understands why you laugh when they threaten to call the cops on you - maybe it's because you care no more for your life anymore...

[Coalbunny]

@MagicalSunrise1984 ... and people wonder why I am such an asshole and willing to get into fights....LOL!

Stalker? No. Cops simply do not care.  The other night I got a ticket for disorderly conduct. Because a man assaulted me. He swung, I didn't. And it's all on video tape. But that's ok, give me the worse of the charges between us. What the hell. Fucking pigs.

[MagicalSunrise1984]

@Coalbunny

It is terrible.

I am staying as far away as I can from fights.

But if there is no choice then i fight with might and stop at nothing in the name of what i believe is right

thus - i try to adjust my worldview to fit harmoniously with the world - so that my beliefs will not hurt myself or others - and my fighting for what i believe in will be for the best of all (as much as possible)

[acousticandrea]

amazing song!!! i love your lyrics and voice. .. the whole thing is just amazing... thank you.

[kafka505]

Thank you. I just got medically retired for PTSD. Just seems no one who has it can understand. It sucks. it really does.

[spsycher]

Made me cry.

Very sharp

[coomadoug]

Matie check out The band Played Waltzing matilda....Love to hear ya do it

[lovespell02x]

O-M-G.

My friends and I LOVE your tunes.

You are my example for our psychology project.

Love you.

[stillheretoday]

I liked your video sir.Everybody deals,with the mental think in different ways.What helped me,was the death poetry of Lincoln.A lot of his poetry,is just madness.I tell people,and show people his poetry,and they can't understand,how someone could overcome that,and get better,and become President.

[m1n613s]

i love your rage

[yorkie2014]

Interesting song, and ever so easy on the ears. support the state of your head, not the head of state?

[coomadoug]

Very good tune sir

[greglawrence]

Presidential Spongeformencephylopathy?

OMG!

Thanks for the tune! ô¿ô

[kozmicblue]

Loved it. My uncle's death went hand in hand with his "hidden injuries" from the Gulf. I know he would have loved this as well.

[DobermansRock]

O.I.F. 1 and I am right there with your tune. The fuckin ringing wont stop. Along with the thoughts. I live in my now but am overtaken by my yesterday that wont go away. My nightmares and alchole. Want sleep, hate the nightmares. Tryed the drugs but damn near killed myself tryin to get back in that blackhawk at 2 in the am. Thank god for my girlfriend. I was 3rd floor in the B's. WTF. Thanks for the song older brother.

[turnerphil]

oh my god fantaetic cant stop listening to this sums up our governments

[cysciborg]

its sad to say, but, the V.A. is broken. and all veterans are in danger. your song hits the nail on the head. Why would any young person join the military, "IF" they knew they would be out in the cold, living under a bridge, without medical care, or meds. to end up fighting for decades, to obtain what was promised when they joined ? I fought two years in combat, then returned home to fight 40 years for benifits. no luck yet.

[welcomehappiness]

I think the lyrics and your guitar sound is very cool and my kinda sound

[welcomehappiness]

I am a big Dylan fan, I also like Woody Guthrie and Tom Paxton. I posted a video response. Its a bad quality video and the song I have only practiced three or four times. If you listen to the words, it is my own thoughts as someone who suffers the effects of accumulative traumas. If you want I could send you the lyrics with Chords. I taught myself how to play in the last 2 years so I'm not a great guitar player

[Bisbonian]

This is great Tom! Very much in the Guthrie tradition...way to pick up the torch.

[pcamjf]

Beautiful song, the words are as true to PTSD as i can relate, i can't really relate at all but my father has PTSD, served in Vietnam...is unemployable, highly volatile, etc....anyway, I love your song and will spread the word

[dArLeNewk]

This was awesome!!!!!!! 5 stars

[indyvoter]

I'm Vietnam PTSD. Only took them 23 years to approve my claim. Got paid. Still have PTSD.

Now have a son following my footsteps. He joined the Marines. I'm proud of him. And pray he never has this problem.

Thanks for a wonderful song.

Vietnam March 68-69

[pauloswego]

This is absolutely geat and right on target. Thank you very much.

[curiousted]

If you are a veteran, thank you for your service, sir.

What a great talking blues in the grand tradition of Woody and Arlo Guthrie and Bob Dylan.

"Hidden Injury" my ass . . . I see them all too clearly. It's our Preznit and his minions who can't/won't see them.

[chatgal222]

hah! right on man. reminds me of arlo guthrie. *wink* i have ptsd and bipolar. fun times. love your song.

veronica

[Nachal4]

This is wonderful. You should spread this around.

[newhighinlow]

Thank you sir,

From a vet with PTSD.

Almost 20 years on, I can rationalize all the acts but can't turn off the consequences.

Peace for all

p

[foxyphoenix911]

Send it to the Whitehouse and congress. We the People hear you, Tom. You sing for the majority who want to stop this maddness and truely support our troops. Justice, then peace.

[chirogirl67550]

This guy doesn't need to do any mousing for himself, and even if he did---he's still brilliant, a gifted song writer and I think he's absolutely wonderful. He's singing for thousands of people and soldiers who have suffered this affliction. The guy who posted the entry, is just jealous.

Dr. Yvonne Vosburgh

Ava, Illinois

[tnuc4u]

How many mouses have you been threw clicking all those times voting for yourself on LWWToday website, LOL we know your trick, but it is a good message but differently not a #1 song.We know how you do it they will drop you down and watch you click yourself back up, why not LOL its cool.

[willjed]

read you Lima Charlie

[claudbro]

im a young british soldier ex who likes the tune

[xavean]

Correct me if I'm wrong Tom, but are you sorta doing a flatpicked version of that three finger strum that Woody did with his various Talkin' Blues songs? It's a fantastic sounding style of playing, and I was wondering if there was any proper name to it so I could look it up online and learn how to do it. Thanks!

[TomSmithMusic]

Hello xavean,

My memory of Woody playing several talking blues is always with a flat pick. I was also heavily influenced by watching Tom Rush, Ramblin' Jack Elliot, Bob Dylan, and others. No proper name that I know of. Basically just a "boom chucka" rhythm, with heavy emphasis on walking the lower strings. Is harder to describe than to show. I have several examples of "Talkin' Blues" in my July '07 Newsletter on my web site TomSmithMusic dot com.

[freeman1947]

Thanks for this great video. I enjoyed it. I am a disabled Vietnam vet, and I am glad to see your video and others

that speak such eloquent truth.

[krash2012]

great video. much truth to it too. and ur guitar playing is awesome. and ur voice is very cool too. it reminds me of johnny cash kinda

[chirogirl67550]

Right on brother......What you are saying is righteous.

Yvonne Schellenger-Vosburgh

Ava, Illinois

[bulbheadmyass]

Congratulations, Tom. This video is #1 on Neil Young's Living With War website! And well-deserved, it's such a great song.

[TomSmithMusic]

Thank you for your kind comment. My best wishes to those for whom this song hits close to home. Please take a look at my YouTube video, "A Prayer for Peace". A special offering for this, and all seasons. -Tom

[mandycaly]

I too have PTSD,but I was in a different kind of war... in a home i grew up in...I am now 50 years old...doing the best i can living one day at a time.... Keep singing

[4apples]

Great:D

[libertybelleduut]

brilliant

[desertjournalonline]

One of the best anti-war songs I've heard, very witty and it gets the message out. I'd like to see where Bush & the Cheney Gang are going to hide when it's over for them...

[musicsmeaning]

I have Complex PTSD, and I agree with the comment before my own. There is no easy fix. But there are people like myself who are recovering out there. It takes a great deal of HARD work to heal hidden injuries, but it is possible. My heart goes out to you all. T

[lyndelsmith]

I have a serious case of PTSD also, didnt get it from serving and guess what? I'm told the same thing. Its a real bitch to live with and an easy cure isnt available. They tell me (dont think about it, move on, keep busy)...Hey, Its not the just something our gov is telling vets..good luck my friend, I enjoyed the song.

[dustingina]

Great job Brother! Love your song. You hit the nail on the head with that. I really needed this this morning. Thanks Again and God Bless!!!!!

[faheyball]

Right on the money friend! I hope your music helps you to keep living life, it helps me to keep living mine :)

[mab0440]

Wrap a song around it and you can stay in control of PTSD (or just about anything else). Nice job. Hang in there, friend.

[phernic]

thanks man, i needed that, someone who takes the lighter side of PTSD.

[mystret]

very well done. I was just searching for some talking blues and had no idea about Neil Young's Living with War, I'll check that out next. You're a good man for helping bring this condition to light.

[woodwizzard123]

I had to stop and go smoke. Your song hit me right on..Ihave been dieing with PTSD for 20 years the doctors cant understand PTSD they do not live it meds help some but I feel like I am going to twist off !!!

[margot980]

Oh, thanks for doing this.

The victims of the oil occupations have a slight advantage. their neighbours know what they are talking about. even their now enemiesknow that they are talking about.

but north americans don't.

[dianfrancesca]

Loved it! It made me laugh. War's not suppose to be funny, and it isn't, really. It's the warriors themselves that make me laugh, and make so many others cry. I wonder if our present administration ever laughs at itself.  If they do, they should be ashamed...very ashamed. Thanks Tom.

Dian Francesca

[bulbheadmyass]

Hi Tom. Congratulations on being #2 on Neil Young's list of top protest songs. I'm hoping you make it to #1 soon. This song deserves it!

[d2music]

A beautiful piece of work. If we don't speak up, who will?

[artic300]

Thanks Tom I love the lyrics, your singing and guitarplay. It's right on and soothes my anger. Thanks.

[shantidude]

And on top of all that, you've got some nice picking there too.

[Trompir]

Thank you Tom...you know few will understand - Nobody cares about us but us - always been that way, always will

[naath9]

Wow! Wish that I was able to open up like you do, but I guess it's a matter of time when one is ready to do so. You gave me perspective and made me realize how important selfdistance is. :-)

[xavean]

Excellent Tom! Such a fantastic talkin' blues song! Thanks for your kind words too. Take it easy...but take it!

Chris

[xavean]

Excellent Tom! Such a fantastic talkin' blues song! Thanks for your kind words too. Take it easy...but take it!

Chris

[larkypoo]

I've been very scared about the domestic violence that's going to occur in the U.S. due to PTSD. It's very predictable and the Gov't is cutting all sorts of services that should be available to veterans such as long-term counselling. The Gov't is also not paying for anything in a timely manner which adds to the stress of these soldiers. I'm scared for some of them, I wish there were a way to unprogram the horrors of war.

[GaelicMystic]

This is sooo how my husband feels.

You deserve a medal of bravery for putting this out!!!

[bulbheadmyass]

Wow! What a great song this is. The lyrics are absolutely wonderful and the delivery is perfect. Fived, faved and vlog'd.

[quintanablea]

Love it

[Lunaintheclouds]

Right on!

[rt2brong]

Thanks for saying what I couldn't and doing it so well.

[tiffanicfunk]

Yay Mr. Smith!!!!

[urtherenow]

Fantastic! When is everyone going to wake up? Play on, Tom!

[Snorglorf]

Great, 5'd and fav'd.

[Sooz47]

Brilliant.....visceral