Emotional Blackmail and FOG, are terms coined by psychotherapist Susan Forward to describe methods of controlling people in relationships and the theory that fear, obligation or guilt ("FOG") are the key transactional dynamics between the controller and the person being controlled. Understanding these dynamics are useful to anyone trying to extricate themselves from abusive relationships, and deal with their own compulsions to do things that are uncomfortable, undesirable, burdensome, or self-sacrificing for others