Defense mechanisms protect us from consciously acknowledging thoughts and feelings that we cannot tolerate. They allow these thoughts and feelings to be expressed indirectly and in disguised forms. The document then lists and provides examples of 11 common defense mechanisms: denial, suppression, reaction formation, projection, displacement, rationalization, intellectualization, undoing, isolation of affect, regression, and sublimation. It explains how each of these defenses might hide or transform anger felt towards a critical professor.

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Defense mechanisms protect us from
being consciously aware of a thought or
feeling which we cannot tolerate. The
defense only allows the unconscious
thought or feeling to be expressed
indirectly in a disguised form.

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• Denial
• Suppression
• Reaction Formation
• Projection
• Displacement
• Rationalization
• Intellectualization
• Undoing
• Isolation of affect
• Regression
• Sublimation

5. 
Let's say you are angry with a professor
because he is very critical of you. Here's how
the various defenses might hide and/or
transform that anger.
feeling.
You completely reject the thought or
e.g. "I'm not angry with him!"
You are vaguely aware of the thought
or feeling, but try to hide it.
e.g. "I'm going to try to be nice to him."

6. You turn the feeling into its opposite.
e.g. "I think he's really great!"
You think someone else has your
thought or feeling.
e.g. "That professor hates me."
"That student hates the prof."

7. target.
e.g.
You redirect your feelings to another
"I hate that secretary."
You come up with various explanations to
justify the situation (while denying your
feelings).
e.g.
"He's so critical because he's trying
to help us do our best."

8. A type of rationalization, only more
intellectualized.
e.g.
"This situation reminds me of how
Nietzsche said that anger is ontological
despair."
You try to reverse or undo your feeling by
DOING something that indicates the
opposite feeling. It may be an "apology" for the
feeling you find unacceptable within yourself.
e.g.
"I think I'll give that professor an apple."

9. You "think" the feeling but don't really feel it.
e.g.
"I guess I'm angry with him, sort of."
You revert to an old, usually immature behavior to ventilate
your feeling.
e.g.
"Let's shoot spitballs at people!"
You redirect the feeling into a socially productive activity.
e.g.
"I'm going to write a poem about anger."