Individuals who grow up in closed systems do not get their early emotional and psychological needs met and often develop compulsive, dysfunctional behaviors as a result. One of the most debilitating attitudes emerging from such an environment is a kind of moral masochism, described by psychoanalyst Ester Meneker. Moral masochism is an insufficient separation from the parent due to fear or loss and abandonment. Described this way, moral masochism should be distinguished from sexual masochism which is an unconscious need for punishment. Moral masochism is an adaptive defense mechanism to over come the child's fear of abandonment.
Modern day feminists writers describe moral masochism as a dependency issue.
It is inevitable in human beings because of the long emotional and physical dependence of the child on the family. Dependency becomes increasing worse in children who have harsh, domineering parents. In The Fire From Within, Carlos Castaneda calls people who use adversive control Petty tyrants. Adversive control includes power trips such as yelling, glaring, sighing, blaming and pouting to keep family members under control. A petty tyrant is someone who bullies, torments or otherwise tries to oppress you.