Anger as a Mask

This is an entirely new theory for me and I'd like to know what people think...

Do we tend to wear anger like a mask?

Take a scenario where someone says something really shitty to you and you react by getting angry at them. Then shortly afterwards, when the situation has dissipated: you've argued and they've left, or you've had a good moan about it to a friend, and then you change subject; suddenly you don't feel angry any more, you just feel hurt and upset.

It seems that whether we realise we're doing it or not, the anger we initially feel is almost like a screen for a deeper feeling that we haven't allowed to surface yet. Then when we relax, the feeling suddenly bubbles up. Maybe we push it back down by allowing the anger to take over again. Or maybe we can't escape it now and we're forced to deal with it.

And I think sometimes we also wear anger as a conscious mask. We know that we're feeling upset, embarrassed or afraid but we don't want other people to know it, so we replace a vulnerable, victimised emotion with a tough, agressive one.

Does anyone else recognise the things I'm talking about here? Answers on a postcard...