I'm 2 years into my PhD and starting to get some bad results back. My first paper has been submitted and is awaiting review. I have the sequencing results from 2 other papers. I prepared the cDNA libraries and sent them but despite them being good quality and high concentrations the sequencing data I got back is poor. The read counts are very low and dispersion is quite high meaning any conclusions I draw are going to be unreliable at best.

I've havent enjoyed any of my research so far really. I don't like my supervisors, although we get along ok. I don't like the environment I work in. I'm beginning not to like the research itself. I put so much time into this work and its coming back so badly. How do people cope when your studies don't work out?

I dont know where to start. I'm 1 year and 2 months into my PhD and I'm just struggling. Since day 1 I have been really overwhelmed. have 3 supervisors, none of whom I seem to be able to work with very well. My main supervisor is rarely around but he does respond to emails. I get the impression from him that all he cares about is publications and doesn't have a whole lot of time for me as a person. He can also be very critical of my work despite not really giving me much guidance. My second supervisor is really controlling. I mean extremely controlling. I am funded by a University but I work in a host research centre. He is not affliated with the university and has basically said I am never to go there. I feel like a member of staff. I have no control over how I spend my time and I feel personally I read/write much better in a university environment. I rarely see my third supervisor but he is the most personable.

Where I work is depressing. I don't feed like a student. I had issues with depression for a few months last year. This has been explained to my supervisors and I have given a doctors note to back me up. They have said that my wellbeing is the most important thing but they dont follow through on this and still dont allow me to control my own work. I have lectures in university this semester and I was told to go straight back to where I work after them. This adds 3 hours of driving on to my day.

I'm unhappy, I cant focus. I want to quit but my parents would think I'm a failure. I dont feel like I have any real support. I thrived in my undergrad with a good supervisor and now I feel like this situation/people have reduced me to a failure. I thought it would get easier but it just seems to get worse.

I really enjoy reading novels, I don't know if its possible to incorporate that. I will try making a mind map and take the other advice on board. To be honest it's nice to have just gotten it off my mind. Really appreciate all the advice!

Yes there are taught elements and I have completed quite a lot of these. As I have said my labwork and practical work is not going too badly. I guess I've just reached a point where I feel like I am not good enough. I had to write a report recently and my supervisor strongly criticised my work and it has knocked my confidence a bit. I also have a performance review coming up soon and I guess I feel like I'll crumble under questioning because my background knowledge is not good enough. So every time I read up on it I start to panic a bit and get upset. It's ridiculous

Thanks. I will try that. I just keep getting overwhelmed, it's actually a really physical feeling of getting wound up and stressed out. I know it's stupid and counter productive but I can't seem to overcome it. But I will try breaking everything down into smaller chunks like you say. I have always had trouble wrapping my head around a lot of information. I'm great with details and problems but my memory struggles with large volumes of information. I guess it's my weak point

Thank you for the replies. It means a lot. I have heard of imposter syndrome a couple of times now but I guess I sorta think its not applicable to me. Like some people get imposter syndrome because they mistakenly think they're not good enough. But I feel like I'm actually not good enough. I don't know how to get rid of this feeling?!

I think a lot of my problems at the moment stem from the fact that I feel like I can't catch up. So when I try to read I get stressed out and upset...

Hi,

I am just finished my 1st year in a phd in an area I loved as an undergrad. However, a mixture of personal problems meant that I spent a lot of my first year struggling with depression. Combine this with a supervisor who was not very present/supportive has left me feeling completely behind at the end of my first year. It is a 4 year structured phd so I know there is a lot of time left but I still feel really inadequate. Everytime I sit down to read the literature I feel all this tension and stress over the fact that there is so much I don't know. Its preventing me from actually getting any quality work done. My lab work is not too bad, I'm fairly on track with that luckily. My main problem is reading. I constantly feel like everyone around me has a much better knowledge of the area and at this stage I'm just struggling.

I feel like at any moment someone is going to realize that I haven't done enough work. My supervisor knows that I had some personal issues (no specifics) but he isn't really present a lot and to be honest he may as well not be there. I think in about 3 months I haven't seen him or gotten an email to see how I'm doing.

Feeling very isolated and I've had many thoughts of quitting. Any advice?