Well having often read with great interest the experiences of other PhD students on this forum, I have finally decided to type down my own experience. I am now in my third year of what was supposed to be originally a 3 year PhD but due to numerous problems this has now turned into four years. I have spent months trying to secure funding for this extra year consequently I have had very little time or opportunity to learn and develop valuable lab skills. I feel I am completely useless and this has just really worn me down. I came within weeks from watching my project and me completely collapse. I have no motivation left any more. While my PhD topic is quiet interesting, I feel like I can't take it any more. My PhD project is based primarily on me scrutinising large databases from various sources but none of the other parties are now willing to give me these databases. Between red tape delays and complete lack of cooperation from third parties, I really feel completely mentally exhausted. I struggle every day to stay motivated, experiencing brief periods of calmness followed quickly by extended periods of manic depression. Ironically I am frequently asked to speak to other undergrads about motivation because of my perceived enthusiastic attitude. Nobody knows I feel this way as there is no one around I can talk too. I can't crack as I am perceived as the rock. I am the only researcher working in my field in my lab and spend all day working alone. There are no technicians or postdocs in my lab so I am left to do everything myself. I have to teach myself everything and have ended up completely supervising my own project. My supervisor is not familiar with my project area at all and while she is a lovely woman she is an absolutely useless supervisor. She has given me no constructive guidance what so ever largely as she does not understand what I am doing. In fact she has not even asked me to deliver one presentation since beginning my project, she has no interest in looking at my results and she never scrutinises my work nor wants to have any lab meetings. I found out the other day from a colleague she is going away for several weeks very soon but she never even told me. I have tried all the usual avenues to address these issues. Talking to advisor, convenor but to put it mildly they are all completely incompetent and most of them can't even stand each other to the degree they don't even talk to each other. The other students I have met occasionally at uni events have had the same problem with these people even though the Uni brags about being one of the UK's best. I feel completely trapped. I can't leave now as who would be mad enough to fund me for another PhD and psychologically while I am a very strong willed person, I could not do this again. Just to make things more complicated, I am really struggling financially on my stipend as it's quiet small and am not eligible for research council funding. I really just want to get out and escape this all