Dear Forum,
I would like to know if anyone had a situation like mine, and what should I do. I am in a PhD that was to finish 3 years ago, but always is delayed by my supervisor, who is also a student counselor, and in the administration of the university. I have been "ordered" first to manually input of at least 10,000 complete patient history files recorded on paper into a spreadsheet on my laptop as there is no-one that has done this since the department began. Only after I finish all this will there be any idea what is the goal of my PhD. I am doing this alone, with no help from anyone at the university or hospital. As soon as I complete recording files from one section of the hospital I am given more to do with no fixed date of completing my PhD. I am not paid anything at all, and must survive on what my family gives me. Even when conferences are held in the same city and I am an author I am not officially on the list of participants, but mystery authors that have been added after I write something are on the list of participants. Other times I have been working on publications from the department which I have been replaced with new authors at the last moment, and I disappeared. My supervisor has not published any articles with me, but claims that will happen after the PhD is finished which depends on how fast I digitize the hospital records. I have ghostwritten many publications often for people I have never met in person. Of course I have lost all trust, but at the same time I know I can go to no-one at the university because of the nepotism and political connections that exist. This PhD, if it can even be called that, has been set up so as to never be completed. I blame myself for letting this kind of situation continue for so long and getting me depressed.
Signed, very disappointed.

You need to take control. I can understand years of this kind of exploitation has undermined your confidence and sapped your motivation, but only you can change the situation.

What you are currently doing is not a PhD; you're currently serving as slave labour. Take your supervisor to task, make an official complain, and bring the university's failings to the attention of those who will listen and do something about it.

If all that means leaving the PhD - well, it will probably be the best thing you could ever do.

Hi Conundrum, I really feel for you. If it has already been more than three years, is your thesis completed, do seek help. If you're not happy, do something. Go and see your graduate research school, as they would have to monitor your phd progress at some point where your supervisor would have to answer to them (?). We can only be here online for you but you must manually personally approach somebody about your problem.

Once you have a solution (and some idea how it will turn out -- whether the phd finished or not), your depression will lift immediately. Do something.

love satchi