"It doesn't surprise me that there are a lot of suicide attempts here," William says. "People are so wrapped up in their own little world [that they] don't take time to see what's going on with other people. We're anxious to look the other way."

William says that many Harvard students, including himself, are perfectionists who have trouble forgiving themselves for their mistakes.

Though the suicide rate at Harvard is less than the national average for college-aged people, Catlin and Warner say competition and a pressure to succeed exacerbate depression for Harvard students.

"Harvard is a very big stress case," Warner says.

Catlin says most suicidal students whom he counsels are seniors who "feel increasingly obligated to use their education in a constructive way."

The three main causes of suicide attempts are feelings of being trapped in a seemingly unresolvable situation, the loss of a loved one and a mental disturbance, Catlin wrote in a December 10 guest commentary in The Crimson.

He also wrote that while some who attempt suicide genuinely wish to die, others do so to gain attention from people who can help.

Laura says that although Chris' suicide attempt was unfortunate, at least the act finally got the attention of Chris' family.

"Everyone gets depressed," says Laura. "Some people deal with it differently. It doesn't mean you're crazy, but unless your family acknowledges the problem, things can get bad."

The Hardest Times

The most common times of the year for Harvard students to attempt suicide, according to Epps, are the beginning of winter and the beginning of spring.

In fact, college students nationally attempt suicide most frequently in November and December, according to a 1988 study on college student suicides in the United States conducted by Al-lan J. Schwartz and Clifford B. Reifler of the University of Rochester.

"Some students may be concerned about going home into family situations that make them feel overwhelmed," Catlin told The Crimson in December. "Often, suicide seems like a way to escape."

But some suicidal students do not try to kill themselves at the height of their depression. Some, like William, attempt suicide when they have begun to recover.

"When things start to turn around, you're at the highest risk," William says. "Things are still bad [then], but you can motivate. If you think someone is seriously depressed, you need to be attuned to [his or her] behavior even when things start to look up."