In late 2019, I recorded several talks for “Tricycle” magazine about using Buddhist tools to overcome social media and internet addiction. These talks were published online in January of the following year. In the meantime, I decided to turn my notes into a series of articles, totaling six in all—this introduction plus one article for each of the five tools. I’ve added a bit more content than what was included in my talks because you always realize after speaking that there were more things you could have said.
So, here are links to Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5. I openly admit to having been addicted to social media. Due to my teaching style, where I spend a lot of time online, I found myself getting sucked into social media just like many people do. We carry devices, so-called “phones,” that rarely make calls but instead serve as portals to endless distractions.
As I spent more and more time online, I noticed that my work suffered. I’d stay up late engrossed in articles, mostly about science and psychology, depriving myself of sleep. My focus on reading books diminished too, leaving life feeling less rich. Sometimes, I would get involved in online arguments, which made me anxious and angry, and I found myself craving attention from likes and shares on my posts. These experiences are forms of suffering.
Not liking this suffering, I naturally asked myself how my Buddhist practice could help with my online addiction. I’m sharing the tools I’ve found useful in case you face similar online behavior patterns. When I wrote these articles, I had mostly overcome my addictions, although Twitter was still a challenge. By practicing these techniques, I eventually managed to disengage from Twitter as well.
When I talk about social media addiction, I don’t just mean enjoying social media. I’m talking about using social media compulsively despite knowing it has harmful consequences. Compulsion means finding it very hard to stop yourself, and the thought of quitting can cause unpleasant feelings. This often leads to shame and denial about our level of addiction.
By “social media,” I mean more than just sites like Facebook or Twitter. I’m also referring to online games and compulsively checking the news. Although the Buddha didn’t directly discuss the internet, he offered many teachings on overcoming compulsive thoughts and actions. One significant discourse is the Vitakkasanthana Sutta, which translates to “Discourse on Quieting Thinking.”
Vitakka means “thinking,” and santhana means “resting place” or “ending.” Here, “thinking” includes the urges linked to those thoughts. Sometimes, you act on an urge without any verbal thought, like automatically reaching for your phone. In Buddhist terms, these urges are also considered “thoughts.”
Essentially, this discourse teaches how to let go of unhelpful urges or habits. While usually linked to meditation, its principles apply to any area of life, including social media use. Hence, you might think of the Vitakkasanthana Sutta as the Social Media Sutra.
The discourse offers five tools, each with an illustration. Some are highly engaging and informative, while others may seem less immediately useful. These tools provide a rich collection for overcoming addictive behaviors and the associated emotions like anger and anxiety. I’ll discuss each tool in turn, explaining what the Buddha said and how to apply these tools practically.
That wraps up this introduction. I hope you’ll find this series of blog posts helpful. Click here to read about the first tool, Pivoting Toward the Skillful.
Consider your social media habits—what suffering do they cause? How does your compulsion show itself? Can you try avoiding social media even for a day or two? If not, what’s holding you back? What do you feel if you take a short break from social media—joy, relief, craving, anxiety?
Think of social media use as something you can gradually reduce over time, setting small, manageable limits. Applying this approach requires willpower but can significantly reduce your usage.
Bodhipaksa has published a series on mindful and self-compassionate tools for overcoming social media addiction. This application of ancient texts to modern issues shows how the Dhamma remains relevant today. Thank you, Bodhipaksa.