It does seem unfair but insurance rates, etc. are greater as depression is like other illnesses and I imagine the company doesn't wish to take on someone with a pre-existing illness. I can't get my own health insurance, have to get the "state's" because I'm too overweight; even though I'm extremely healthy and have no great past history of illness. But because the odds are stacked against me, I have to jump through hoops to get more expensive, special insurance. If I were to go back to work, that would be different (since company/work insurance is based on claims/health, not what probably will happen in the future).

I would apply for a "smaller" or part-time job that isn't going to ask you questions about mental health? I worked for 10-15 years at part-time jobs I'd find because they fit what I wanted at the time. I always presented myself as following my own plan and stated that I was deliberately looking for part-time jobs, etc. I don't think you would be lying in any way if you stated you had taken 3 years off to work on a "personal project" or something like that. I would get back in the work world either part-time or volunteering and then applying somewhere once you'd worked a bit or apply to a place that didn't have "forms" or so many layers of people looking at your health. Once you get a job, any job, then you could go sideways or up, etc. I'd work on a plan to do work in a couple stages to get around insurance worries and get some current experience, etc.