Hi Cobweb,

I'm in exactly the same boat (though I'm a single gal so I don't even have that excuse!). I am the ONLY PhD student in my subject area at the university. I'm in a shared office, however only 2 people are ever there and they're both finishing up to submit by the end of the year, so they're not going to be around much longer, and they're both researching in a completely different subject to me. Because I'm the only person doing my subject, there are no seminar groups or social groups or anything organised, and it's getting me really down. I'm getting to the point of seriously considering dropping out and reapplying to a University with a proper department for my subject next year (I'm already booked onto an open day in a couple of weeks). I've told everyone I'm giving it to Christmas, and that's what I intend to do, but the isolation is pretty much unbearable when there aren't even other students to TRY and make friends with.

Long story short, and as everyone else has said, you're not alone.