In late 2019, I recorded a series of talks for “Tricycle” magazine on how Buddhist tools can help overcome social media and internet addiction. These were eventually published online in January of the following year. Meanwhile, I decided to turn my notes into a series of articles—six in total, including this introduction and one article for each of the five tools discussed.
I’ve expanded on my initial talks, realizing afterward there were more points I could cover. Here are links to Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5.
I admit I used to be addicted to social media. Due to my teaching style, which requires being online frequently, I often found myself drawn into social media. Like many, I carry a device we call a “phone” but rarely use for calls—it’s more like a window into endless distractions.
Spending a lot of time online led to my work suffering and staying up too late, engrossed in articles about science and psychology. Although the content was interesting, it deprived me of sleep. Eventually, I couldn’t focus on reading books the way I once loved, making life feel shallower.
I also got into online disputes, which caused anger and anxiety. Logging into social media would sometimes make my heart race, and I found myself craving attention, checking if my posts were liked or shared. These behaviors caused significant suffering.
To address this, I asked, “How can my Buddhist practice help me overcome my online addiction?” I’ll share some tools that helped me break these patterns.
By the time I wrote these articles, I had mostly overcome my addictions but still struggled with spending too much time on Twitter. However, through continued practice of the discussed techniques, I managed to disengage from Twitter as well.
What do I mean by social media addiction? It’s not just enjoying social media but feeling compelled to use it despite knowing its negative effects. This compulsion feels out of our control, making us dishonest about our reliance and leading to feelings of shame.
When I mention “social media,” I mean it broadly, including online games or compulsive news checking. The Buddha didn’t talk about the internet, but he advised on overcoming compelling thoughts and behaviors. One important discourse is the Vitakkasanthana Sutta or “Discourse on Quieting Thinking,” which is about stopping unhelpful urges and habits.
Many believe this discourse applies to meditation, but it can be applied in any context, including social media use. Hence, I consider it relevant to our online lives.
The discourse provides five tools, which I’ll outline. The idea is to try each tool in sequence if the previous one doesn’t work. Each tool comes with an illustration—some more helpful than others.
These tools offer practical ways to overcome addictive behaviors, along with the accompanying anger and anxiety. I’ll explain what the Buddha said about each tool, including the illustrations, and how to apply them.
For now, take a moment to recognize any addictive patterns in your social media use. Consider the resulting suffering and how the compulsion shows up. Could you experiment with giving up social media for a day or two? If not, notice what stops you. If you try it, observe your feelings—do you experience joy, relief, craving, or anxiety?
Think of it as setting a limited window of time to gradually reduce social media usage. With enough willpower, this simple approach can significantly decrease your time online.
Stay tuned for the series of blog posts on this topic.
Navigate to the first tool discussed, Pivoting Toward the Skillful.
Reflect on your social media habits and the resulting suffering. If giving up social media even for a day feels challenging, observe what holds you back and how you feel when you do manage to step away, even briefly.