Drugs like haloperidol don’t have a story as good as the SSRI or NSRI antidepressants but they can be life saving for many people. Some of the people who are completely out of sorts and in the streets would have an easier time getting housed if they got the right medication.

I had an aunt who suffered from bipolar disorder who struggled to find the right medication and finally did, when she would quit taking medication her mind would start racing and she’d threaten to commit suicide.

I also know a teen who came from a troubled family. His dad committed suicide and his mom died of complications of COVID-19 and Type I diabetes. Fortunately he was taken in by his grandparents and gotten a lot of help from a youth group affiliated with his church, the school system, etc. Still it has taken expert psychiatric help to find meds that stabilize his condition and stop him from harming himself.

People generally don’t like antipsychotic drugs. It may take quite a few visits to the psychiatrist to find something that really works and has minimal side effects, but my first take is a depot injection of a typical antipsychotic is the right thing for many people in a mental health crisis.