"First, Do No Harm" and the Night I Finally Asked for Help

Content warning: Major spoilers for First, Do No Harm. Discussion of self-harm, suicidal thoughts, sexual assault, transphobia, body dysphoria and serious bodily injury A friend recommended First, Do No Harm to me and said it was perfect for me. I trusted him enough that I went in completely blind He was right The play touched on self-harm, trans issues, feeling like you are in the wrong body, medical control and hating your body enough that you want to destroy it. It was almost perfectly designed to trigger me My friend understood my interests. He just could not have known I was already close to breaking Going in blindI went alone after work. I had not read the content warning and thought the play was about an athlete with a damaged shoulder who wanted some dangerous surgery so he could continue competing I had already had a rough week A friend had been sexually assaulted, which brought up my own unresolved experience. I felt partially responsible and had also become his only support…