Not all the time but if I had to hear another person describing themselves as self aware, I'd likely think of red flags. I recall making a post about insight and how it does not necessarily led to making good judgments in the past.
The gist of that post is something like, smokers can be intellectually aware that smoking is bad and how the it affects their health but they don't make the judgment of stopping the habit that kills them.
Some patients with mental health problems can be that. They recognize what they'll likely be without their meds and how their condition affects them if they do this and that but still do everything except the things that get them away from hospitalization or rehab.
Just venting out how much effort of months trying to help someone only to discover that they just go the other way. I can understand the pattern, rationale why they do it because that's exactly how things are going to be but there's no helping someone that refuses to be accountable for their actions and solicit empathy.
You can be aware of your thought process and what goes on inside your head but it doesn't translate to being aware about how you conduct yourself in the external world. How people who are anxious don't realize they get fidgety until you tell them. How people with temper issues forget to modulate their indoor voice and tone when talking. They can be aware of their own thought process that led to the action but it doesn't mean they fully understood the action.
"Yes I'm aware about this and that and that's just who I am"
I don't see accountability or attempts at trying to change even if one acknowledges fault alone. Insight isn't enough to make change, it has to be followed up by judgment to start behaviors to better oneself.
At some point, I'm thinking of just referring them to someone else and divert some energy to those that can and willing to get helped.
Thanks for your time.