"I think in both the Bureau of Study Counciland UHS there's a lack of psychologists who willsee students on a regular basis," the depressedsophomore says. "That's why I went to a privatepsychologist."

Catlin says that UHS cannot guarantee regulartherapy. Students, he says, usually sign up forthe next available appointment, which can beanywhere from 10 days to two weeks away.

But the chief of mental health services saysthat the short-term seems to work well for moststudents, who are depressed over specific eventsin their lives rather than for pathologicalreason.

If students require more frequent and extensivetherapy, UHS refers theme to privatepractitioners. UHS refers those who cannot affordprivate therapy to one of Harvard's nearbyteaching hospitals, where they are seen byresidents or staff outpatient services.

In contrast to Harvard's system, Yale's mentalhealth services are able to provide long-termtherapy for their students without making privatereferrals.

Catlin says that Yale's health services canprovide long-term therapy because they only treatstudents, whereas Harvard's UHS must also handlefaculty and staff.

"Depression is perhaps the most treatabledisorder that we have in psychiatry," Schildkrautsays. "For most people the goal of treatment isnot solely helping people to get better, but torestore people back to their previous level offunction."

Treatment has allowed another sophomorediagnosed as clinically depressed to restore hisquality of life. Overcoming his depression hasalso fostered a deeper under-standing of himself.

"I'm definitely a stronger person because of mydepression," he says. "In the long-run, I'm gladit happened. I feel like everything I should havelearned about life growing up was thrown into thisone year. Although it sucked that it happened allat once, my life is so much better now."You Know You're Depressed When...

Symptoms of Depression

. Feelings of sadness and/or irritability.

. Loss of interest or pleasure in activitiesonce enjoyed.

. Changes in weight or appetite.

. Changes in sleeping pattern.

. Feeling guilty, hopeless or worthless.