After going out for papa-katsu, I end up binge-eating and drinking when I get home. Even though I’ve already eaten a lot during the date, I still do it. I keep eating until I feel painfully full, even when I’m not hungry. I stuff myself so much that when I lie down, the food comes back up and I end up throwing up. I like papa-katsu itself and enjoy it, so I don’t understand why I keep doing this every time. I don’t think it’s stress-eating, either. Three large cup noodles, four sweet pastries, cake, pudding, two servings of KFC… I want to improve this, so I’d appreciate any advice.

Maezawa from the CEO’s Office here. Thank you for your question. It sounds like stress may be the cause. I think it would be a good idea to seek counseling from a professional. Speaking as a layperson, you might think, “If you feel like eating, just don’t eat anything,” but I’m sure you posted this because it isn’t that easy.

This is Joe. As Rin suggested, having a doctor—that is, a professional—assess the situation seems like a good approach. If you’re hesitant to see a professional right away, why not set a period of time—say, one week—and keep a fairly accurate record of everything you eat? An app makes this easy. I can recommend Calomama.

I’m Rin. Even if you feel that you’re enjoying yourself, not forcing yourself, and not uncomfortable, your body and emotions may still show signs that something is wrong. These signs reflect your true feelings and reactions, so I recommend looking for a mental health clinic or counselor who will genuinely listen and work with you while it’s still early. Once you get in too deep, it can become difficult to fully recover. Before it starts affecting your organs, teeth, skin, or other parts of your body, please listen to your own inner cries. If you search carefully, I believe most doctors will take pride in their work and treat you with sincerity. Doctors who make fun of papa-katsu (compensated dating in Japan) or mock you for suffering are probably only a small minority. Please find the courage to take that first step.