I’ve been sharing a series of posts based on early Buddhist scriptures that guide us on how to break free from social media addiction. These teachings, specifically from the Vitakkasanthana Sutta, offer five strategies to overcome our compelling urges. Today, let’s focus on the second strategy, which is about recognizing the drawbacks of an uncontrolled mind.
This teaching provides a vivid, graphic example. It explains that by examining the drawbacks of certain thoughts — recognizing them as harmful and unskillful — we can free ourselves from those thoughts. Imagine a young person who loves wearing beautiful clothes, but if someone were to hang a corpse around their neck, they’d be horrified and disgusted. This powerful image helps us understand the repulsiveness of our addictions.
Applying this to social media, it’s clear we need to recognize its disadvantages and how it hooks our attention. Social platforms like Facebook and Twitter are designed to be addictive, engaging our brain’s reward circuits to keep us coming back for more interaction and validation.
There is plenty of evidence highlighting the negative effects of social media. Heavy use can impair decision-making to the same extent as addictions to substances like cocaine or heroin. Research shows that the average person spends about four hours a day on their phone, contributing to anxiety, depression, and loneliness. Social media often tricks us into thinking we fall short compared to others, who typically showcase an overly positive view of their lives. Increased social media usage is linked to lower happiness and life satisfaction. Moreover, social media can be used for manipulation and propaganda, subtly influencing our decisions without our awareness.
Personally, I found that social media consumed a significant amount of my time, taking away from more productive and fulfilling activities like walking, meditating, or working. This is known as opportunity cost — the loss of potential gain from other alternatives when one alternative is chosen.
These are just a few drawbacks of social media, but there are others: staying up too late, decreased productivity, neglecting loved ones, online conflicts, and a reduced ability to focus. These issues are likely familiar to many.
The Buddha’s teachings include a concept known as “vipallasa” or cognitive distortions, where we mistakenly believe that sources of unhappiness will bring us joy. This includes our misconceptions about social media.
One common term for this is FOMO, or Fear of Missing Out. When considering whether to delete my Facebook account, I worried about losing touch with relatives and friends, missing news, and other events. However, I found that reducing social media use actually increased my contentment, productivity, time for meditation, and ability to focus.
Cutting back on social media brought me joy and liberation, contrasting with the fear of missing out. Instead, I experienced JOMO — the Joy of Missing Out.
This second tool from the Vitakkasanthana Sutta, examining the drawbacks of social media addiction, helps us to see the false promises behind our desires to stay connected online. We can recognize that these platforms often lead to unhappiness and distract us from meaningful activities.
Revisiting the Buddha’s powerful image, it’s like being dressed in finery with a rotting corpse draped around your neck. It highlights the grossness of our addictions against the backdrop of what’s good and wholesome in our lives.
To effectively combat online addiction, it’s crucial to also focus on positive, fulfilling activities like being present, meditating, enjoying meaningful work, and simple pleasures. Personally, disengaging from social media helped me rediscover the joys of reading, listening to classical music, and walking. These are simple yet rewarding experiences.
To tackle social media addiction, consider making two lists: one for the drawbacks of social media and another for the benefits of wholesome activities. Reflect on these lists to cultivate a sense of disgust for addictive behaviors while fostering attraction to enriching activities. Balance recognizing the negative impacts with acknowledging what truly makes you happy and at peace.
By understanding the grossness of addiction and actively choosing more meaningful activities, we can undermine our addictive tendencies and gain better control of our lives. These reflections guide us towards a clearer sense of who we want to be, ultimately leading to greater freedom and happiness.