Self-help doesn’t necessarily mean going it alone. Mutual support groups for priorities like weight control, mental health, physical health, aging, bereavement, parenting, caregiving, career change, and addiction-related recovery not only provide like-minded companionship and encouragement but also knowledge and direction from peers and others. Personal characteristics, along with the nature and severity of the problem being addressed, will contribute to the effectiveness of any individual or group self-help plan.