The NC State chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness and the Order of Omega are co-hosting a panel discussion with members of the NC State community to discuss mental health from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. today in the Mountains-Piedmont Ballroom in Talley Student Union. 

The event, You Are Not Alone, will begin with an address from keynote speaker Barry Bryant, executive director of HopeLine, a Raleigh-based crisis counseling resource, followed by a short video and questions from the audience. 

Avi Aggarwal, outgoing president of NAMI and a senior studying chemical engineering, said this event is about making mental health an approachable topic. 

“Mental health is a very stigmatized issue, and at NC State we are very privileged to have great resources that students can go to,” Aggarwal said. “There’s a lot of ways to get help, but it starts with being able to discuss it.”

The speakers for the event represent and interact with a wide range of populations on campus on a daily basis, including representatives from the Counseling Center, Fraternity and Sorority Life, Academic and Student Affairs, faculty and students. Counseling Center representatives will also be available during the event to speak with students.

Aggarwal said they were chosen to make sure the attendees are able to connect with someone who has experience in dealing with mental health issues. 

“We’re trying to show students that the university cares,” Aggarwal said.