thank you for the thoughtful response. totally, therapeutic intervention that doesn't shy away from acknowledging material realities is always going to feel more honest and likely do more to help people like us. i found DBT to be great for this personally, polar opposite to the stuff you find in e.g. CBT. and that shit works. i didn't really have a point either, mostly just a lot of what you said struck a chord with me and i wanted to share my experience and struggle with this dialectic. philosophically the brain as a black box is frustrating to me but it is accurate. i am glad to hear you have been able to make progress and find help with your own struggles, despite the awful world outside. on my bad days those feel incompatible. but we have to struggle on as you say. solidarity comrade:)