Guyana needs a mental health facility where young people can voluntarily step away when life becomes overwhelming, speak with professionals and get help without judgement, social media personality Mark “Adaam” Primo said in a Facebook post published before his death on Monday August 31st. He is believed to have died by suicide.
Primo, a member of the LGBTQ+ community, was widely known on social media for his jokes and memes, but also used his platform to add his voice to issues affecting the wider public and matters of public interest.
In the post, Primo opened up about a mental health struggle he said had been ongoing for about nine months, acknowledging that he had become accustomed to masking how he felt around others.
He said there were times when he did not know what was wrong, while on other occasions he knew what he was feeling but found it difficult to explain or open up about it.
Primo also spoke about feeling as though he had to navigate life without the parental or family support he needed, saying he often felt like he had to be his own role model.
He described repeatedly facing setbacks and feeling discouraged, while also saying he was reluctant to burden his friends with what he was experiencing.
One of the more difficult periods, he said, involved weeks in which he was sleeping only two to three hours a night, leaving him feeling as though he was “losing my mind.”
Against that backdrop, Primo made a broader call for Guyana to establish a mental health facility where young people could voluntarily seek help when life becomes too overwhelming.
He envisioned a space where someone could safely check themselves in for a day or two, speak with professionals, clear their mind and simply breathe without being judged.
“Too many of us are silently struggling and mental health deserves just as much attention as physical health,” he wrote.
The post has since taken on added significance following Primo’s death, with his words drawing attention to the challenges faced by people who may appear outwardly happy while privately struggling with their mental health.
For many who knew him through social media, Primo’s public persona was one of humour and entertainment, but his final message offered a glimpse into a deeply personal struggle that was largely hidden from those around him.
Discussion