Some people have their priorities straight, while others only think they do. And of those people some people deserve help, while others actually need it. Problem is that neither those who deserve help, nor those that need it, will ever ask for it. That's why families have something called interventions. That's why institutions exist like alcoholics anonymous.
It's also why bookstores and libraries have all kinds of self-help books on the shelf. These are convenient for individuals with problems, who recognize their own issues to a deep extent, and do not want to bother anyone else for it (or do not want to pay a professional for it).
However it can also deepen the problem further. Not only will he recognize his problems and attach an explanation for it, he will actually bring his entire understanding of the world in terms of that self-help book. And no matter how fruitful such books can be, no matter how many Oprah endorsements, it will only always be one point of view.
The thing about having friends and family is that someone can actually offer a different point of view. Not everyone's opinion will actually help, but at least it gives the individual a way to give his problem a place in the greater picture. And that is something self-help will never be able to give you.
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