This is very old and really great so I could not resist to put it here:

http://nolandda.org/pusite/grad-hell.html

absolutely!!

And...
One must think what is to have courage. Is it courage the force to keep doing something that makes you so miserable? Or is it courage to stop what makes you so miserable? Is it courage to stand a horrible life? Or is it courage to change your life? There is more risk to drop than to stay the course. If you stay, you know you will be miserable, but you have a certainty. If you drop you don't know what is in store for you, there is a lot of uncertainty in quitting.
People must be brave and look for happiness for, after all, the objective of life is to be happy!!

I like all of the posts here.
I basically would say that people drop not because they are lazy or not smart enough. People drop due to many more complex reasons. I guess most of the times, people just don't like the grad student life: isolation, loneliness, very competitive colleages, being treated like scum, lack of social life, not loving their topic, horrible supervisors and so on.... and the thinking that there is wonderful life outside of academia!! Being in the basement of a university building stuck for 4 years while your friends are living a life seems odd.

Yes, it is a very interesting post.
Im not sure if lack of support is the problem. The problem is the system itself. And the problem is also many people who get into the system without having a clue of how it works. Many people stand it and get the PhD done but everything has a cost. Some people even enjoy it and seem to be having the best years. An analogy: back in the middle ages, many people survived, many more perished in horrible ways and a few ones got the best out of it. But it doesn't mean the brutal feudal system was ok and I can not imagine a serious, cultured person saying "oh, yes, middle ages where obscure and cruel, but that is the way it should be".

Angie,
I think you are very brave/honest to recognize your own personality. I feel many PhD students fit in your profile. Many people go school nonstop, postdoc and so on just because they feel not very "adequate" for a job outside academia. I personally think it is not a good idea and some seek refuge in the lab/books and the prestige of a PhD title

Hello BadHairCut,
It is impossible to change the system unless the whole economic systems changes. Current academic system is the result of the economic system in which it is embedded, where education/research gets low budget compared to other economic activities.

Even if you manage to get a better payment for PhD students, it does not change much their overall situation. They will continue working (most of them) in an alienate way, doing what their supervisors want or is convenient for them, not for PhD students. They have no control over their life. When student and supervisor interests coincide it is wonderful but it happens little.

People in academic postitions or as PhD student believe they are doing the best thing in the world, kind of being the few ones who shed light over misguided and ignorant masses. This believe is so strong that they ignore many things outside academia, further perpetuating the myth of doing the best thing!!

It is a hopeless circle

Hello CompSci.
First of all, do not think you are the only one. I guess you feel as if you are the only one feeling this way in the entire galaxy. Not true, and this is the first thing and it is ok, do not feel ashamed about it and do not feel like a failure. This is not uncommon. I remember back when doing my masters, some peoiple use to make jokes asking whether my department was an academic department or a mental health clinic (lol!) because of the common depression there.

Sue,
It also has to do with the fact that what you certainly enjoy might be actually the opposite of an "enjoyable" thing for someone else.

Hello Rick
I believe depression (in PhD) is related to not being in control of your life. Many PhD students get caught in doing a research that is truly not of their most ardent interest. They work in an alienated way. When they realize it, it is too late. In addition, many times students must face a supervisor who has little interest on them and their life as persons. Then, many times, social life is reduced to a minimum with its psicological consequences. Of course I see many coming to say "that is not my case, Im having a wonderful time and my supervisor is wonderful plus my social life is great" I would rather think they are an exception. Finally, the ones who seem to be doing great are a depressing reference for the many having a terrible time. In this way, the ones having a terrible time use to think "he is doing great and Im doing terrible, there must be something wrong, Im a failure!" Which adds more for depression.

Badhaircut,

That sounds frightening!

Specially this:
"Of having no social life and increased threat of divorce/being single because of your antisocial working hours?" (3rd divorce in our team this year. Whoo Hoo!)
I know one guy who got divorced in the middle of his PhD, a horrible story. Why is social life lacking for many PhD students?
But what about getting PhD and dedicate mostly to teaching? I think Im dreaming since most Universities would not pay me for teaching, i guess they expect journals, papers, publications, seminars and so on so you can help uni's prestige.... right?
Ummmmm

Well, chrisrolinski, I guess you have no reasons to drop. In your case, I guess you are happy with what you do so it is not that you have given much but that you truly like your PhD.

And yes, I have the idea that years go very fast and suddenly your twenties are all gone. However, I believe it all comes down to whether you like your PhD or not. If you don't, you are certainly wasting your youth, right?

Hi Sue

It really surprising to know how a soon-to-finish PhD student feels, I never thought that way . So I guess it is better for people to drop sooner than later?
You know, that part of your song "watching your youth drift away" that touches me. I remember when I finished my masters someone told me "you should continue for PhD" and someone else replied to him "let him be free, don't push him into a PhD and have his youth wasted inside a lab" I laugh at that time, but now..... I feel strange sensation about it ....

hello sue

What you mean by "it just means they're not prepared to come away from four years of their life with nothing to show for it (that's me speaking)"?

Do you mean some people don't quit just because quitting would feel like wasting 4 years of their life for nothing? So they continue not because they like it but because quitting is a worst perspective?

Continued...

Also, 404, Im intending a PhD that would be also practical. Yes, something that can be applied outside of academia. I would hate to be caught in academia forever! I want to be flexible enough as to work as a teacher as well as in industry and for the government. That would be my ideal profile. Much to your surprise, I care little about writing tons of journal papers and I care little if people know me as Dr Venturin12 or don't know me at all. What I want is to be dedicated to the topic I like, be it as a teacher, be it in industry, be it as a public employee. I think Im looking for something multidisciplinary and flexible and perhaps that is exactly what a PhD is not