I think one of the huge milestones is getting someone who is in a depressive state of mind to recognize that their lived experience is a function of this cognit

I think one of the huge milestones is getting someone who is in a depressive state of mind to recognize that their lived experience is a function of this cognitive state and may even, in many situations, be a manifestation of an actual condition. I think especially really smart folks who become depressive can easily fall into a trap of rationalizing their depression. One of the toughest things is getting to a point to recognize that the entire body of "data" that your mind is using to make those rationalizations, and the rationalization itself, doesn't fall "outside" the depression. It's such a tricky thing because of it.