In a series of six posts, I’ve explained using early Buddhist teachings how we can break free from our addiction to social media. These teachings are found in the Vitakkasanthana Sutta, which outlines five strategies for overcoming compelling thoughts and urges.
The Vitakkasanthana Sutta, literally “the Discourse on Quieting Thinking,” is referred to here as “the Social Media Sutra” to make it more relatable.
Now, let’s talk about the fifth and final tool: sheer willpower. This might surprise you. The Buddha suggests using intense mental effort, likened to a strong man overpowering a weaker one. Though it sounds harsh, sometimes we need to be strict with ourselves. However, it’s emphasized that this should only be a last resort when other methods fail.
Personally, I’ve found willpower useful in moments such as late-night internet surfing. I might suddenly feel a sense of disgust and abruptly close my laptop. This isn’t so much a conscious exertion of willpower, but rather an automatic response to my situation.
There are better ways to manage urges, which are less about brute force and more about strategic planning. You can, for instance, delete social media apps from your phone or use parental controls to block access to certain sites. On a computer, browser plugins can limit your time on social media. For the truly committed, deleting your accounts entirely can be effective.
I did this with my Instagram and Facebook accounts because I didn’t like how they made me feel. Instagram’s validation-seeking behavior and Facebook’s privacy issues, political propaganda, and unproductive arguments led me to delete both. Research shows quitting social media makes us happier, but our addiction and self-deception often hold us back.
Twitter was my last social media holdout. Its outrage culture and time-consuming nature were problematic for me. I’d often get sucked into it for long periods, which affected my well-being.
Finally, I found a willpower trick that helped me quit Twitter. It involves creating a barrier to accessing your account without deleting it. By changing your password to something you can’t remember and not storing it, you’re effectively locking yourself out. Although you can theoretically get back in via a “forgot password” link, the extra step is usually enough to keep you out.
This method helped me quit Twitter and improved my overall happiness and productivity. It’s like setting a trap for your urges so that they can’t overpower you when you’re vulnerable. By taking control at a time when you’re not actively craving, you stage a coup against your addiction.
To summarize, we’ve explored the five tools from the Vitakkasanthana Sutta that help free our minds from obsessive thinking and compulsive urges. Thank you for joining me in this journey of using the Dharma to overcome social media addiction. I appreciate Tricycle magazine for the opportunity to share these insights. Let’s continue to progress towards living with mindfulness, compassion, and joy.