• the possible use of brain-altering drugs for a short period of time and/or

• for a very small fraction of people (who we can't really sort from the other people for whom it is not a benefit at this time*) the possibility of drugs for a longer-time. 

This second category is based on Sandra Steingard's observations in an article in the Washington Post quoted in: Some patients are better off without antipsychotic drugs - psychiatrist  via @recoverynet / December 11 2013. Sandra Steingard is the founding member of the International Critical Psychiatry's North American chapter. 

It is also seems to be a reasonable position taking into account what we know about Open Dialogue Therapy and other methods and solutions in this area. The challenge is that the drugs come with significant risk and effects.

There is an overlap here between those for whom this is necessary (and, as we say, we don't really know who (if anybody) that is) and those for whom it's not necessary but who take the drugs because they feel it helps them. We cannot know the difference at this stage (July 2014) and the situation is confusing. But see the cross-link to "What about the people who don't want 'help'?"

These people self-identify as "mentally ill."

See the cross-links (yellow) for other thoughts on this map about this topic.