It's not true that everyone gets denied the first time. I got approved right away, as have others here at PC.

It doesn't sound to me like you are on SSI. What help you've gotten has been public assistance, which is traditional welfare provided by your state. An application for SSDI is, automatically, an application for SSI, also. You were denied for both. One reason for you getting denied was probably that you being completely disabled was not expected to last all that long, which is how it did turn out. Not that you have to be permanently disabled to get approved, but there has to be the expectation of disability lasting at least a certain length of time. I forget what that length of time is.

The other thing working against you getting approved is that you are quite young. They figure that increases the odds that you would either recover, or find a way to adapt that allows you to succeed in the workplace.

I'm glad you are doing so much better now.