Hey, Danny, welcome to PC. Thank you for your military service. My brother has PTSD from Vietnam (he was thrown out of the Army a year shy of retirement for alcoholism so got nothing, no benefits, retirement pay, anything) but is doing extremely well and is reasonably happy and still working at 66 (because he wants to). Life can get better after military service messes it up.

I would hire a local social worker/red-tape clerical worker :-) to work with you on getting everything out of the VA and/or Social Security systems that you can and making sure you understand all of it. Maybe a psychiatric/mental health nurse practitioner (who'd understand your medical and mental health problems and how they interact). Sounds like you need a really good "case worker" -- and that you might have to hire one privately who can help with the paperwork and advise you on options and what might be the best way forward for you either in the "system" or privately.

I'd contact the local Pennsylvania VA people in Annville, Philadelphia, or Pittsburgh, whichever is closest to you, http://www.milvet.state.pa.us/DMVA/Common_1_0.htm and see what they suggest, if they have counselors to help with all the paperwork and to counsel you on what your options are, etc.

It might be good to stay in the VA system for some therapy, especially group therapy, as they have other vets with similar problems (and the "world" does not) while seeing people outside for other of your problems as the outside is often more advanced and less militarily regimented in its mindset of what you "must" do. If the outside jerks you around you can change doctors, therapists, etc. unlike in the military system. You may want to get good "help" from a good social worker on setting up a system using both systems that works well for you and gets the VA to pay, etc.