self-help
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self-help
Coping with problems or illnesses through one's own efforts or in a group of like-minded people, often without professional help from outside.
Er hat seine Alkoholsucht durch den Besuch einer Selbsthilfegruppe in den Griff bekommen.
He got his alcohol addiction under control by attending a self-help group.
DIY
Repairing or building things independently, often in a craft or home-improvement context, without hiring professionals to do it.
Die Anleitung für das Regal ist für die Selbsthilfe durch den Kunden gedacht.
The instructions for the shelf are intended for customer DIY assembly.
The word is a clear compound of 'selbst' (self) and 'Hilfe' (help). It literally means 'help that you give yourself' or 'help through oneself.'
Manchmal ist der erste Schritt zur Besserung die Entscheidung zur Selbsthilfe.
Sometimes the first step toward improvement is the decision to use self-help.
You can recognize the meaning from the context. If it is about mental health problems, illnesses, or addiction, it refers to coping through one's own efforts. If it is about building, repairing, or instructions, it refers to the craft-related 'do-it-yourself' aspect.
Viele Menschen finden in Selbsthilfegruppen Unterstützung bei psychischen Problemen.
Many people find support in self-help groups for mental health problems.
In a psychological context, the combination 'die Selbsthilfegruppe' (self-help group) is extremely common. Typical verbs are 'eine Selbsthilfegruppe besuchen' (to attend a self-help group), 'leiten' (to lead), or 'gründen' (to found/start).
Sie leitet eine Selbsthilfegruppe für junge Mütter.
She leads a self-help group for young mothers.
personal contribution / DIY work
Selbsthilfe and Eigenleistung can both refer to work done without professional help. Selbsthilfe emphasizes repairing or building something independently, whereas Eigenleistung highlights a person's own contribution in place of paid service providers. Use Selbsthilfe for the way something is done, and Eigenleistung when this contribution counts toward a project or its costs.
Durch Selbsthilfe renoviert die Familie das Zimmer ohne Handwerker.
The family is renovating the room themselves, without hiring tradespeople.
Beim Hausbau wird die Eigenleistung der Familie von den Kosten für die Handwerker getrennt.
When building the house, the family's own labor is listed separately from the cost of hiring tradespeople.
