The sympathy initially displayed for Bonga Sithole vanished as he struggled to overcome addiction, and that’s typical of a society with little empathy for the sickness.

 
 

 

Sithole got recognition for his viral videos and remarkable vocabulary. As his addiction became public, he was given the chance to enter rehab, but he couldn’t yet.

Sithole was offered help, but he didn’t accept it. People who haven’t experienced addiction or watched a loved one struggle may not grasp its hardships.

Addicts must hit rock bottom and want to recover before they can. Forced rehab or an intervention rarely works and frequently has the opposite impact, as the person rebels and refuses to do what “everyone else” wants.

Some say nobody should give Sithole money now that he failed rehab and is back on the streets. Addicts often lack empathy. How often have you heard, “Don’t give them money; they’ll buy drugs”?

Addicts are viewed as “less than” and condemned for their choices. This is inhumane.

Many will experience this, as any research on addiction will show. I have three addicted friends. I’ve seen it; I didn’t Google it. One of my teenage friends succumbed to the sickness and committed suicide after several stints in rehab.

We’re in the dark ages regarding addiction.

The other two hid their troubles from me for years. I saw them in their saddest moments and helped rebuild their lives. I appreciate their strength in getting clean. Relapses and hard periods that I wouldn’t want on anyone happened, but they survived. I’m forever grateful.

From my perspective, I can see how badly addicts are treated in society, especially on social media.

 

Even struggling Springbok rugby star Elton Jantjies, who was rumored to have gone to rehab, displayed disrespect for addicts when he said, “I also noted that I was represented as a drug addict with mental health concerns.” I have no mental health difficulties and have never been in drug treatment.