Hi Rehelm,well done for coming so far!

It's hard to come to terms with needing benefits, I have similar thoughts. You can assure yourself, however, that if the beurocats had any doubt about you genuine entitlement to SSI, they wouldn't give it to you.

Maybe your Mom is worried in case you get a knock back and that would not help your depression, though I understand how frustrating it is when you feel someone is being over protective.

The best route to success may be to take baby steps, frustrating though it may be, see it as therapy, test what you can do volunteering, which will also give you something to put on your résumé to make getting a job easier in the long run.

If you build small successes, your Mom will be less anxious and employers will see you have the ability to work a steady job.

Whatever you decide, good luck. You have done well so far with all the obstacles you had to overcome.

Remember you're a human being and as such are worth as much as any other human being. Be kind to yourself, as much as you can.