I think that's more of the black and white thinking. We're all or nothing. As is the world. We hate or love. We're angry or sad or happy; never both or more than one. I think that's part of what DBT tries to teach us; that dichotomy exists in the world and in us and we need to recognize it in order to relate to the world and to ourselves.

Just because we can't see ourselves being angry and happy doesn't mean it doesn't happen. We just can't (or refuse) to see it.

Some days I can see the dichotomy in myself. I can understand and accept that I am angry at this one person's actions, but I won't let it bleed into the rest of my emotions. Other days, I'm just angry at the world. Seeing the dichotomy in the world is much more difficult for me. I have a hard time seeing someone as both a good and a bad person. I definitely split when it comes to other people.

This illness is so broad in its definition sometimes. And it's such a chameleon. It can look like so many other things. Yet some things, like black and white thinking/splitting, is such a core symptom that we can all relate to.

Hope that helps some. Sorry for the rambling....