A Nigerian woman who appeared to be living the American dream has sparked a wider conversation on success, burnout and mental health after revealing why she walked away from a high-paying technology career in the United States.

The woman, identified on social media as Primzy, shared her journey from a successful engineer earning $180,000 annually to becoming a professional photographer. Her post, which has gone viral on X, detailed the emotional struggles she faced despite achieving what many would consider career success.

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“I was making $180K a year in America and crying almost every night because I hated my life,” she wrote, describing the disconnect between her professional achievements and personal well-being.

According to her account, she moved from Nigeria to the US in pursuit of better opportunities, earned an engineering degree, secured a lucrative tech job in Dallas and regularly supported her family financially. To outsiders, she had achieved everything associated with success but the reality wasn't a rosy picture.

She wrote: "To everyone back home, I was the one who made it. My parents were so proud.
But inside, I was drowning. Meanwhile, I was working 70-hour weeks, battling anxiety, and feeling empty."

When she first told her family she wanted to leave the tech industry and build a photography business, the idea was met with resistance. She remained in the role for another year before eventually experiencing what she described as a breakdown that forced her to reassess her priorities.

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She ultimately resigned without a backup plan and began pursuing photography full-time. Over time, her business expanded into weddings, portraits and brand campaigns. The turning point came when she hosted her first solo exhibition in the US and invited her parents to attend. Seeing her success firsthand, her family eventually embraced her decision.

The story has resonated widely online, with many users highlighting the importance of mental health and personal fulfilment over conventional measures of success.

A user wrote on X, " Money can upgrade your life, but it doesn’t automatically improve your mental health. If you’re surviving on the outside but breaking on the inside, something has to change."

Another user wrote, " Walking away from the ‘success’ everyone else wanted for you takes real guts. So glad you chose peace and found your thing."

Third user wrote, "90 hours a week is just wild. Not everyone is bold enough to make a major change in their lives. You gotta be proud of yourself. It all worked out"

Published on: Jun 20, 2026 1:00 PM IST