The recent biopic "Love & Mercy" reveals that the life behind the Beach Boys' music was anything but sunny.
After decades of mental illness, alcoholism and drug addiction, Beach Boys co-founder Brian Wilson finally got help from an unlikely source — a car salesperson named Melinda Ledbetter. While shopping for a new car, Wilson left behind a note for her reading, "Lonely, scared, frightened."
For psychologist Barbara Van Dahlen, PhD, that scene underlines the importance of her Campaign to Change Direction, which aims to increase awareness of mental health issues.
"People saw that Brian was suffering, but didn't know what they were looking at and didn't reach out," says Van Dahlen. "He struggled until Melinda met him. She reached out and helped him reclaim his life."
After seeing the movie, Van Dahlen contacted Melinda, now Wilson's wife. As a result of their conversation, the Wilsons and the movie's director and cast are now collaborating with the campaign. The initiative grew out of Van Dahlen's work with Give an Hour, the nonprofit she founded in 2005 to create a network of volunteers to provide free mental health services to service members, veterans and their families. Give an Hour is now the "backbone organization" behind the campaign, she says.
The Campaign to Change Direction's goal is to ensure all Americans know the five signs that someone may be suffering emotionally and in need of help — withdrawal, hopelessness, agitation, a personality change and poor self-care — and what to do if they spot such symptoms in friends, family members or anyone else.
"These aren't the only signs, but if you see these five, or even one of them, it tells you something is wrong," says Van Dahlen. "That person is hurting, and you need to do something."
As one of the campaign's founding members and one of its 150 organizational partners, APA has pledged to spread the word about the five signs via its print publications and social media.
Van Dahlen, the Wilsons and the film's director and cast plan to offer special screenings of the film and create public service announcements (PSAs) to air at such venues as movie theaters and partner organization websites. (The campaign has already created two PSAs featuring first lady Michelle Obama.)
On Nov. 4, Wilson will perform at the Hyatt Regency in Tysons, Virginia, to benefit Give an Hour.
"We've got to change the culture," says Van Dahlen.
For more information, to download a poster or other materials or to purchase tickets to the benefit performance, visit Change Directionopens in new window.
— Rebecca A. Clay
