(cont..)
As for your supervisor, he may surprise you. I always had a banter/ informal r'ship with my busy supervisor & thought he’d laugh or not take me seriously. However, when he asked me how I was &I laughingly replied that I could be better since my r'ship was suffering and I had been put on anti-depressants, he completely changed, was really sensitive &I ended up crying (rather embarrassingly outside the union bar!!) on his shoulder. I feel it really helped just to have told him, it’s quite a big thing to keep from your supervisor if it’s affecting your work and they may be able to help. My supervisor was sensitive &also gave me a new task to do which helped to refocus my mind, sometimes you need that if you don’t know where your phd is going/what the point of it is.
You may also find this website useful: http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/NMPcms.php?nmppage=default
Lots of advice & understanding people on there if you need to talk.

Sorry for long post, hope it helped!

Hi compSci,
I know how you are feeling. I went through the same thing. My r'ship also suffered, he didn't understand how i was feeling & how hard it was to 'snap out of it'.
A GP prescribed me with anti-depressants straight off, even though I specifically told her I didn't want them. I gave in, took one of those tabs but experienced side-effects straight away, so stopped and never took another one nor went back to see that dr.
I had counselling at my uni, they usually give u a session of 6 then review if u need more. I know it doesn't sound alot but after 4 I felt much better! The counsellor said she didn't think I needed more but that I was always welcome to go back, so I have had a few one-off sessions every now and then when I am feeling wobbly. I suggest that if the counselling dept don't email you back don't take it personally, just go and see them or call them directly. You’ll feel a lot better once you have an appointment booked, as you’re being pro-active.

Hi guys,

Thanks so much for your replies! It's good to know that other people also feel the same sometimes - not for you obviously but I don't feel like a phd oddball anymore Also good to know that it's not just my paranoia and i indeed should expect more support than what I am getting!

You've inspired me to keep on going, I want to have results to show people that I am capable and I'll chat to one of my supervisors. so I will soldier on! for now anyway.. thanks again

cont...(sorry its over 2 posts!!)
Now I never know what to do with my work or where to start, I feel uncomfortable in the lab and like I am always looked over as not really part of the project team/dept. I’ve felt like this since I started, thought it would just take time. spoke to my supervisor about how i was feeling 11 months in and he told me to focus on my transfer, which made me feel motivated but then it was rejected and since then i feel worse, like my gut feelings were right all along! We are not as close as before so i feel i can't tell him. besides he may go ape since its a huge proj funded by important ppl with set deadlines.

I know phds have ups and downs but this is ridiculous! I don't know who to speak to about this or whether I am just not cut out for this Phd life and should never have started. I am so not happy!! :(( sorry for the huge rant but I didn't know this forum existed till now!Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks. Dory

Hi there,
I’m 15 months into my phd. I still don't feel settled in and I do not enjoy working here. My supervisor was good up to time of my transfer report - i was told (by examiner) to resubmit in a few months due to lack of work though I had done more than others I knew! Since then not had proper 1to1 meetings. My other supervisors have their own PhD students who are more important to them I guess.

I don't get guidance from anyone (supervisors, technicians..), at the same time, I feel like I shouldn't be asking for any!

I haven't settled into the dept I am in. I wasn’t invited to lab meetings for a year (now too self-conscious to go) and I don't get invited to social events either. I don't understand why since I make an effort and am friendly with everyone.
I thought I would enjoy this PhD - I was excited by the project, now feel even more incompetent than when I started. My self-confidence with peers and colleagues is rapidly diminishing. I hate feeling like this as I was a sociable person with self-confidence in my work and myself.