Do self help books really work?

It depends on the exact person and the exact group. When people who are motivated to change and grow get together, they usually get positive results. But not everyone goes to self-help groups for the right reasons.

For instance, alcoholic meetings do have a proven track record. But alcoholic meetings can degrade into bragging sessions where members glorify bad behavior. If you watch the members after the meetings, some will go right to the nearest convenience store and come out with several Alcoholic Beverages. In a few cases, people may drink alcoholic beverages during the meetings. The problem isn't that the meetings themselves or the concept is bad. What happens is that being in such programs is often a condition for staying out of jail. So they don't really want to be there and are not ready to change. On occasion, more serious members will try to locate another meeting that is more conducive to staying sober.