> "flashcard blindness" [...] sometimes it was like I had to learn two words, the word I 'learned' in anki and the word in the wild. Even though they were obstinsably the same word somehow they couldn't connect.

I've also felt this problem a lot too, but haven't found a good alternative for self study. Anki/flash card needs to be a support, that uses the minority of your study time, and links closely to the other parts. This is easier when following a class, than when doing self-study.

It is so easy to build elaborate flashcard strategies and get lost in implementing them.