How to Feel Good and How Not To

The Ethics of Using Marijuana, Alcohol, Antidepressants, and Other Mood-Altering Drugs

by: John-Mark L. Miravalle

Never before in the life of our nation have more drugs – legal and illegal – been consumed than now, and in such an acute time as this, it is difficult to evaluate which mood-altering drugs carry moral legitimacy. In these pages, author John-Mark Miravalle explores, through a Catholic lens, the phenomenon of chemical mood alteration and reflects on our feelings of pleasure and suffering and how they relate to the rest of our humanity.

Masterfully combining philosophy, theology, and science, Miravalle equips you with the tools you need to make decisions based on your own particular circumstances. With the help of these edifying pages, you’ll learn what effect the uses of particular substances typically have on your ability to regulate your feelings and cultivate an emotional life that leads to happiness and fulfillment over time. 

You’ll also learn:

• Why it matters whether a drug is used for recreational or therapeutic purposes
• The moral distinction between casual marijuana use and the enjoyment of alcohol
• The difference between bodily passion and psychic passion – and why it matters
• Why good and evil and right and wrong do not correspond to pleasure and pain
• Why some people claim to have mystical experiences when using psychedelic drugs – and why they’re wrong 
• Why not all delight is true delight
• How sorrow can enhance your faculty for joy
• What to do when suffering becomes disordered

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
John-Mark L. Miravalle is professor of Systematic and Moral theology at Mount St. Mary's Seminary in Maryland. He received his doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Regina Apostolorum in Rome. He is the author of three books, including Why God? Why Jesus? Why the Catholic Church? He has debated noted atheists on topics such as God's existence, same-sex marriage, and theistic morality. He and his wife Jessica have five children.