Have you tried joining a club? Or taking up a new hobby? Maybe that will give you the opportunity to meet new people and feel less lonely.
Working in different locations (office, library, different library, cafe) always helps me keep motivated and not feeling lonely.
Are you building time in to your schedule to maintain existing friendships too?

In any case, it's probably not as straightforward as a Doctor declaring "you're not depressed". I haven't heard of any instances of doctors taking this tack as depression is very difficult to diagnose (you can't do a blood test for example).
University counselling services aren't just for depression any way; mine specifically runs sessions on managing stress etc...

Administrator:
I think this thread probably needs removing..... I noticed that my (IMO perfectly reasonable) comments about English language requirements for PhD study were removed earlier in the week (especially as this is a 'hot topic' in the THES. And yet 'Sinead's' deliberately infamatory comments to/about a valued poster are still here!
It's very unhelpful to remove your comments Sinead, as one of the purposes of a forum is it's searchable for people with similar problems.

Well done bug!!
Many many congratulations on all of your hard work, and good luck for the future.
xxx

p.s. promise me you'll try and take a few hours off and get some 'you' time!?!?!

I entirely support the suggestions of seeing a counsellor; it's a course of action I've taken in the past and has been nothing but helpful.
Did you realise that at alot of Universities it's possible to defer the dissertation component. That way you could finish your essays off (with extensions) work for, say, 6 months, and then write your diss when you're financially and mentally more secure....

Megara is completely right....
I've already got a sketch plan for the time I'd take off and then child-care arrangements; I think you really need to have this to hand when you tell your supervisor (unless you want to cultivate a negative reaction, in which case suggest you'll do your PhD work at home whilst looking after baby!!)......
Ahh....

Hmmm, I suspect this doesn't happen particularly often.
More likely are academics that mark very differently to their colleagues..... just because of different methodological preferences, etc...

I'm so jealous ;)
Anyway -- I'd keep quiet, but then I don't think my supervisor would be exactly thrilled (hopefully I'll get to experience telling him in about two and a half months time!)....
Plus, since I don't think he'll be thrilled I'm not exactly going to say "yes I was planning to get pregnant all along".... and if I did have a miscarriage then second time around it would be pretty obvious that it WAS planned!
Good luck with your pregnancy....
xxxxx

Thanks keenbean (I hope you're not an archaeologist or my cover's blown!!)
I think you're completely right and I feel better about it now; my head of year even told me to take the comments positively rather than as criticism (but what did I do!!!)....
Sx

I had a (first year) review today, and despite my supervisor suggesting all was well (and congratulating me afterwards) I found it a thoroughly unpleasant experience.... in fact, it made me cry!
Which left me wandering whether this PhD lark is for me....
Has anyone had any similar experiences?

I was once upon a time in a similar position to you:
I was offered a funded place at one institution (though not fully funded) on the condition that I let them know a firm response within a week.
I had another application in with another institution, who actually said theyd hurry the process along and then didn't.
I ended up accepting the first place then withdrawing when I was offered a place at the other... Institution one was LSE and their fees are notoriously high even for UK students so had I not been given an offer at the second place and declined the studentship I couldn't have afforded to go.
Anyway it caused me a considerable amount of stress at the time, but is continuing to have repercussions. My declining of the scholarship and place at LSE didn't go down too well with the department as it effectively resulted in them loosing it and it was the only one they had :s. I wouldn't do it again.

Has anyone met up with one of these to chat about academic writing? My University has a number and I did yesterday and thought it was really helpful.... my writing's pretty good but I tend to be too wordy and long-winded so I wanted some strategic advice!
Would highly recommend it....
Sarah

I got my reference!
After a bit of a panic...
Supervisor emailed at 8am saying he'd email the reference that day. I was a bit panicked because they clearly specified wanting a signature.....
Anyway it turned out my sup was off sick so he couldn't do it at Uni for me to collection. The long and the short of it is he wrote me the ref despite being sick and did some computery wizzardry to get his signature on it!
Box of chocolate time for him methinks, since I think that was slightly beyond the call of duty!

I tried phoning he wasn't in his office. I'm just going to turn up today with the material I think; it just feels completely audacious....
They're supposed to check their email every day and I'd made it quite clear it was urgent!

I wonder if I can get some advice.
I found out about a really exciting opportunity this week but needed a reference before the closing date (tomorrow). My supervisor went away for a week without telling me so I had to call on my 2nd sup. I emailed Wednesday with specific instructions meaning the reference should take no more than ten minutes. He hasn't replied and I really need it by tomorrow or I'll miss out.
What the hell do I do? I know this was really last minute but I'm desperate for the opportunity!