The help provided by self-help is contextualized by the fact that it is not a commodity to be sold and bought. Services are free and reciprocal. Unlike commercial self-help books and tapes that are sold in the marketplace for profit, mutual aid is not a commodity. This is a concept that is much broader than self-help. The selfhelp group is one of many forms of social support that enables individuals to withstand crisis, loss of loved one, or alienation.
Supportive relationships provide a buffer against stress.
They allow the individual to interpret the situation in a different and much less stressful way. Ethos is not just the behavior and practices of a group, but the values that animate it. As reflected in the 12 steps, it is clear that AA reflects an ethos that is concerned with more than abstinence alone. The self-help ethos includes both traditional and modern elements. The Self-Help Solution.