Why We Need to Humanize Everyone—Especially Those Who Struggle

Brian Sankarsingh writes about addiction

It’s easy to forget to see people as people. If we are brutally honest with ourselves, we know that we have all struggled with this. We have done this around racial lines for centuries – dehumanizing the “other” so that we can justify our actions against them. However, beyond racial lines, there is another group of people we often tend to dehumanize. Those who are struggling. Marginalized groups, people facing barriers, or those dealing with addiction. We call people struggling with drug addiction dopehead, junkie, druggie and addict. Each of those words are meant to separate them from “the rest of us.” When we fail to humanize them, we make their challenges worse.

To show full disclosure I confess that for many years I was that person. I moved to Canada in my 20s and worked double shifts to survive. Life was hard and there were many times I went to bed hungry. Looking at my own struggles, it felt easier to judge others. At first, they were disgusting. Slackers. They had life too easy, and this was the consequence. Then they were weak. They refused to “pull themselves up by their bootstraps.”

I smoked cigarettes for many years and one day made the decision to quit and never had another cigarette after that. I struggled a little when it came to drinking coffee because my habit was to have a cigarette and coffee in the morning; but in the end eventually moved on. Why, I asked myself, could these people just not do that? Why couldn’t they find the same motivation and just stop? Or change? Or grow up? My internal answer – the answer that I dared not articulate – was that they were weak, lazy,” less than” people. People who deserved what they got. People who allowed themselves to fall into the pit of despair and refused to climb out of it. I had my own struggles. I had my own hardships to face. So why should I be lenient with someone who was obviously too weak and lazy to face their struggles like I faced mine?

Since that time, science has shown us that genes play a significant role in how we deal with addiction. This meant that my ability to stop smoking – after doing it for many years – just move on was not “my strong will” but was the result of the genetic traits I inherited from my parents. That revelation hit me like a brick to the face. I retraced my steps back to the dislike and disdain I had for those “addicts” and looking back found myself horrified by that person.

Hunger 
The hunger burns, my friend 
Like a fiery ember 
Why can’t you comprehend 
This insistent gnawing hunger 
It devours my soul  
It’s clawing through my brain 
Fighting for control 
Please help me ease the pain 
Those pin pricks on the outside  
Are craters deep inside 
Each is greatly amplified 
Crisscrossed and intertwined 
The hunger calls again my love 
Beckoning me to forget 
As it is below, so above  
Pass me that cigarette  

Why Humanizing Matters

It should then come as no surprise that the act of humanization helps prevent cruelty and aggression towards others. When we humanize another person, any action toward them can be seen within the context of actions towards ourselves. Thus, the Golden Rule that many may recall states “I shall do unto you as I would have done unto me.” Since I would not like anything bad done to me, then I am relying on your humanity to ensure that all is well between us. Conversely dehumanizing a human being serves to make them less than human and thus not worthy of the Golden Rule. In other words, “I shall do unto you as I see fit, for you are less than I am.” Suffice it to say that seeing someone as human means recognizing their dignity, worth, and complexity. It reduces the potential for harm where dehumanization leads to mistreatment, neglect, and abuse. It builds understanding and in through that empathy follows.

Why People Get Dehumanized

History is replete with examples of what happens when we dehumanize others along racial, cultural and religious divides. In our modern society we also see this happening to people who struggle with addiction. Labels come to replace identities. We call them “Addict,” “homeless,” or “criminal” and these labels become their only identity. We forget that they are someone’s child; a daughter or son. We lose sight of the fact that somewhere in the world someone is tormented by their loved one’s addiction. Our self-righteous judgment overshadows our capability for empathy. We cast blame instead of trying to understand.

Look At Me 
Look at me 
Do not avert your eyes 
You think I am not like you 
We both know that’s a lie  
I struggle with addiction  
Like a rope around my neck 
Each day getting tighter 
Turning me into a wreck 
I do not find clarity  
When I’m down from on high 
Facing life’s vulgarity  
Makes me want to say goodbye 
You have such unkind names for me 
Adding salt to an open wound 
You hope if you ignore me 
I will eventually be consumed 

How You Can Make a Difference

Humanizing others isn’t just good for them—it’s good for you. It builds connections, fosters understanding, and strengthens communities. When you choose to see someone as human, you help them heal. You also create a world where everyone can belong, no matter their struggles. You have the power to humanize others in your everyday actions. Here are some things you can do now to help change your perspective and understanding.

Use respectful language

• Avoid labels like “junkie” or “failure.”

• Refer to people as individuals first: “a person struggling with addiction.”

Listen more than you speak

• Listen without interruption or judgment.

• Acknowledge their feelings, even if you don’t fully understand.

Challenge your assumptions

• Ask yourself: Do I really know this person’s story?

• Understand that addiction and barriers often come from trauma, not weakness.

Treat everyone with dignity

• Look people in the eye.

• Speak to them the way you’d want to be spoken to.

Advocate for change

• Support policies and organizations that focus on inclusion.

• Call out dehumanizing practices when you see them.

Bio: BRIAN SANKARSINGH is a Trinidadian-born Canadian immigrant who has published several books of poetry on a wide range of social and historical themes including racism, colonialism, and enslavement. Sankarsingh artfully blends prose and poetry into his storytelling creating an eclectic mix with both genres. This unique approach is sure to provide something for everyone.

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