In a series of six posts, I delve into how the teachings from early Buddhist scriptures can help us break free from social media addiction. These teachings come from the Vitakkasanthana Sutta, often referred to as “The Discourse on Quieting Thinking,” which offers five strategies for overcoming persistent thoughts and urges.
For simplicity, I’ll refer to this as the “Social Media Sutra.” This catchy name serves as a reminder that these ancient teachings can be directly applied to modern challenges.
Now, onto the fifth and final strategy—sheer willpower. This might sound surprising, even harsh, as the Buddha instructs practitioners to clench their teeth and press their tongues against the roofs of their mouths, using mental force to overcome negative thoughts. It’s akin to a strong man overpowering a weaker opponent. While this seems intense, it’s meant as a last resort when all else fails.
I’ve personally found this method occasionally useful. For instance, I sometimes catch myself late at night, mindlessly browsing the internet. Even though I’m reading interesting articles, it’s robbing me of sleep. At such moments, I suddenly feel a wave of healthy disgust, prompting me to shut my laptop abruptly. This isn’t exactly willpower; it just happens spontaneously, breaking the cycle of compulsive surfing.
But there are better, subtler ways to manage these urges. One sneaky method involves making proactive decisions when you’re not in the grip of craving. For example, deleting social media apps from your phone makes it harder to access them. You can also use parental safety settings to block social media sites or employ browser plugins that limit your usage.
For a more drastic measure, you might consider deleting your social media accounts altogether. I did this with Instagram, as I found myself craving validation through likes and comments, which wouldn’t materialize as expected. This led me to delete my account. I also quit Facebook due to various reasons, including the platform’s involvement in privacy issues and political propaganda.
Research shows that quitting social media can make us happier, yet many struggle to do so due to addiction and the mind’s tricks. Your addiction convinces you that social media is essential for happiness, which is untrue given how people managed before these platforms existed.
After deleting my Facebook and Instagram accounts, my sole remaining social media outlet was Twitter. Though I spent less time on it, it was still problematic. Twitter often breeds outrage, either through personal reactions or by witnessing others’ anger, which negatively affected my well-being and consumed a lot of my time.
The final trick I used to quit Twitter is another form of willpower. By creating a barrier to access my account, I made it difficult to log back in. This isn’t about deleting the account but locking yourself out by changing the password to something random. While you can get back in via a “forgot password” link, this extra step often deters the compulsion.
These strategies helped me break my social media addiction, cutting ties with platforms that fostered negative emotions and wasted time. It’s not about confronting urges directly but taking preemptive actions to reduce temptation and limit access.
In summary, this series explores five tools from the Vitakkasanthana Sutta to help free our minds from obsessive thinking and compulsive urges. Thank you for joining me on this journey of applying Dharma to overcome social media addiction. I’m grateful for the chance to explore and share these practices.
May we all progress in living with mindfulness, compassion, and joy, overcoming obstacles that impede our well-being.