The trick is to notice and reflect on negative emotions.

It also helps to notice and reflect on opportunities to have positive emotions. You weren't just indifferent about going to the doctor, you were eager- this is a vision upgrade! It's a cybernetic enhancement!

Now I realize that I was quite literally not fully in control of myself. I was just pretending I was, and disappointing myself as my illusions repeatedly failed to match up to reality.

I really like how you worded this.

Our rational mind was only to be used in specific situations like constructing tools and coming up with excuses for why something we had done wasn't a violation of tribal social norms.

Not sure whether it's an improvement to mention it, but I find the "coming up with reasons why others should have sex with you" motive far more compelling than the "talk your way out of trouble" motive. It's more directly tied to reproduction, and people are a lot better at seduction than they are at lying.