treat (someone or something) as (someone or something else)
To consider, regard, or deal with someone or something as if they or it were a certain type of person or thing. I decided to leave the job—I'd had enough of being treated as an amateur by my boss. We've got to treat threats like these as credible until we have proof otherwise.
treat someone or something as something
to deal with someone or something as something. Please don't treat me as a guest. You treat the editorial board as a needless barrier.
treat as
v. To regard and handle someone or something in some way: The king had received warnings of an uprising, but treated them as a joke. I refuse to be treated as a second-class citizen.