How can I learn to accept and love my body again after being raped and struggling with eating disorders?

Eating disorder is a symptom of the trauma of rape. It makes you either feel like you're on this emotional roller coaster of anger/self hatred/grief till you lose your appetite or it makes you want to puke out what you've eaten. Forgive yourself. In this case I am not condoning the action/deed of the violator, what I mean is to let yourself come back to peace of being who you are. It means letting go of the anger/grief/self hate that you feel. Get yourself into therapy and surround yourself with a support group. It is vital to your healing.

Sweetie, I'm very sorry for what had happened to you. It must be very hard. Personally speaking, I cannot imagine how I would react if it happened to me. I probably would breakdown completely. Sweetie, it is great to see that you are still holding on. The fact that you are asking this particular question on Quora indicates your sincerely courage and motivation to change, to strive, and to grow stronger. I want to let you know, this alone has already inspired me. You are already on this path to embrace yourself again. There is a long way to go, no doubt about it. But you can eventually make it. I believe in you. Sweetie, the world is dark and full of terrors. Bad things happen every minute of everyday: murder, rape, war, terrorism......I wish I can tell you that the world is a wonderful and joyful place, but it is not. Unfortunately, the world is the only place we can live and strive. All we can do is to accept the reality and make the best of it. What happened to you is terrible. But that's the reality which you have to live with. Sweetie, the question you should ask yourself is, "How can I make the best out of my life after what had happened to me?" Sweetie, you know that people really care about you. Your friends and you family care about you. And even strangers, like myself, wish you all the best in the future. But we cannot help you in this. You are the ultimate remedy to your difficulty. Your body is as beautiful as you want it to be. Sweetie, I have faith in you. I think you will accept and love your body again. And when you look back then, you will find how much stronger and maturer you have become.

You can sit in front of the mirror and have a conversation with your inner self... Force yourself to look at what you fear.... Then hug yourself and say I will take care of you.... Try to break yourself into two minds...negative(which u already are) and an actual self which is what you know you are its just in a fazy fog....learn to fight with yourself instead of just letting the negative mind run amuck...you need to even the playing field... Then hopefully start to tilt the teeter totter the other way... But cannot happen until you take yourself inside the boxing ring.... You need to make your actual self stronger... I trap mine in ways such as writing down affirmations on paper so I can see them in front of me so I do not have to expend energy on trying to think positive... I also workout that way I can control the way my body looks and that helps give me peace of mind... There is an excellent book I recommend.... It really helped me to understand our disease and that we have got to be reborn again in thinking and regrow... We are child like in thinking (as in learning how to eat all over again like a baby does) and we need to cradle and soothe the hate and hurt inside ourselves... The book is called The Secret Language of an Eating Disorder.... By Peggy Claude-Pierre... She helped her two daughters through it so she knows more than the average doctors..... She fought it and helped them over come (not rid of, we will always struggle, just less) and not by getting a degree in college or by reading books....i was hospitalized three times and her book did more for me than any psychiatrist.. Love yourself girl.... You are worth it... Even if you do not believe it... Keep putting on the role even if you do not believe & eventually it will start to fit.....

You just never give up coz its not your fault actually, it's the society which is pretending to be good but there are too many fake people who are trying to take initiative to take effort on you but be strong & show this world you don't need sympathy & make yourself busy enough that you don't have time to think about these rubbish thinking.

You shall always be in my prayers dear traveller. Worry not, for your journey has not come to an end. For there are still wonders that you shall witness, delicacies that you shall taste, relationships that you shall cherish and unconditional love that you shall receive. Remember my dear friend, "HONOUR CAN NEVER BE TAKEN, ONLY SURRENDERED." You may not believe it but there are legions who wake up everyday with burdens on their shoulders much heavier than those on yours or mine. The wrath of life may have broken you but only so that you could reforge yourselves into a stronger being. May God Bless You!

Dearest, It is heart-warming and very inspiring indeed to see that you have the will, the desire, the enthusiasm to move forward. Your asking the question itself shows that you are strong enough and have not stopped loving yourself. This is a HUGE step in itself! Bravissima! All you need to do now is channelise your energies into something creative, something positive. It is impossible to forget. But you must try to see that by replaying bad memories you are giving them an importance they absolutely do not deserve! You might have heard that "Living well is the best revenge". It is your right and your duty to live well, eat well, exercise and/or meditate, find an activity that interests you, be with people who love you. You'll do just fine, dearest, trust me! Always remember that you are not alone. P.S.: Do you have a pet? Sometimes these furry creatures can do wonders to heal a troubled mind. God bless you!