Self-help or
self-improvement is a self-guided improvement—economically, intellectually, or emotionally—often with a substantial
psychological basis. Many different self-help group programs exist, each with its own focus, techniques, associated beliefs, proponents and in some cases,
leaders. Concepts and terms originating in self-help culture and
Twelve-Step culture, such as
recovery,
dysfunctional families, and
codependency have become firmly integrated in mainstream language.