For me, the only hope was self-employment, and it worked out fine except I didn't make very much money. I started a service business which grew so fast I could not handle all the work,and then I sold it. It was fine. The other self employment lasted 20 years. I paid my way in my marriage at that time, but once the marriage broke up, I was not making enough to support myself alone. I ended up on Disability, and have not regretted this BUT it took 2-1/2 years to get the Disability check, so one must have income to fall back on while waiting. I had a bad employment record -- 15 occupations in something like 10 years. That's not jobs -- it's OCCUPATIONS. I had more than 15 jobs during that same period of time. And one has to be very, very careful not to work "too much" while waiting, because SSDI is for total and permanent inablity to have meaningful employment, whatever that means. It's a darn shame that one can't get partial disability. That's what I needed. Disability insurance is not easy to get in the United States. Other countries' posters might have advice about their country's processes. One must have tons of official records such as: psychiatrist; therapist; vocational rehab specialists and working with that state or federal agency to demonstrate that they can't find you work you can do. But I think that nowadays it's probably that voc rehab might actually be able to find you a job you like to do. Love to do? I hope. They are supposed to take you to various workplaces, and give you trial periods. I know someone who is going through this process now. I'm impressed with what they are doing for this person, and I only hope s/he either gets a good job ultimately or gets disability. It's not easy for him/her.