Wow Kezza, kindred spirit. Have a look at a post I put on before Christmas, and you'll see that I've been feeling exactly the same way. Confused, depressed, incredibly isolated (I'm doing English Lit), tired, apathetic, crazy...and these are just a sample of the feelings I've had. I decided yesterday to quit, but my partner keeps telling me to give it another term. What do you all reckon?

Just wanted to say thanks to you all, especially Bibi's very balanced and encouraging comment. You're totally right - there are bigger things in life than this PhD and if I do still hate it by mid/end Nov, it'll be bye bye birdy for me.

Thanks for your insights and wisdom!

Yes, thanks Katq, it does help, at least to know that how I am feeling isn't unusual. Cheers.

Thanks all so much. I guess I'm finding the loneliness, isolation, confusion, sense of having SO much to read/learn/master and the feeling that I don't know anything, really hard. I'm a really sociable, gregarious person and this solitary research life is cutting me to the core, really. But I take your advice and will hang in there, at least a bit longer. Problem is, I've felt like this since day 1. Okay, maybe day 3...

I've waited a year for this to start, I got my funding and everything and now i'm actually doing it I hate it and feel desperately, hopelessly miserable. I don't think I can do this for 3 years! Is this normal?