You can be at a functional level and still depressed. I lived like that for years, also as a mother. I don't think being "stuck" at home or working outside the home has much to do with it. Remember, recovery is a long, slow process and you may not have hit your stable normal yet. Certainly do whatever you need to build your self-esteem and sense of worth. But it's not dependent on where you are, it's dependent on how you feel inside. You are you no matter where you go.