In a series of six posts, I’m using teachings from early Buddhist scriptures to explain how we can break free from our addiction to social media. These teachings come from the Vitakkasanthana Sutta, which offers five strategies for overcoming strong urges. I’ve dubbed it “the Social Media Sutra” because it’s so relevant to our modern struggles.
The term “Vitakkasanthana Sutta” translates to “The Discourse on Quieting Thinking.” Here, “thinking” refers to both our inner dialogue and the emotional urges tied to it. So, the need to endlessly scroll through social media or browse the internet is a form of thinking in this context.
The first strategy is to focus on something more positive or skillful in our lives. The second is to consider the negative consequences of our unskillful actions. The third involves learning how to reduce temptation.
Now, let’s examine the fourth tool from the Vitakkasanthana Sutta and how it can help with social media addiction. This tool is known as “stopping the formation of thoughts.” It sounds ideal—to find an off-switch for our thoughts or at least a way to turn them down—but what does this really entail?
The discourse suggests that if other methods haven’t silenced our unskillful thoughts and urges, we should concentrate on stopping these thoughts from forming. By doing so, our mind can become calm, unified, and immersed in mindful absorption.
The Buddha uses an analogy to help explain this concept: Imagine someone walking quickly who then decides to slow down, then stops walking, sits, and finally lies down. This person is rejecting progressively coarser postures for more subtle ones. Similarly, when we find our minds racing with thoughts urging us to compulsively use social media, we can become aware of what’s driving those thoughts and gradually let go, allowing our minds to come to rest.
If we notice that we’re mindlessly surfing the web, it could be due to underlying feelings of anxiety or similar discomfort. One part of our brain produces these unpleasant sensations as a way to alert us to a perceived threat, like boredom or fear of missing out. Another part of the brain responds to these feelings by creating impulses that drive us to continue browsing.
Feelings play a crucial role in Buddhist practice. The Buddha noted that all experiences converge on feelings. These unpleasant feelings drive our behavior. By becoming mindful of these feelings, we can choose not to react to them. Instead, we can observe them and recognize that they are a part of us that is suffering, prompting us to respond with compassion.
This mindful self-compassion creates a pause, allowing us to act in a kinder, wiser manner. In the context of internet addiction, the feeling driving us could be boredom, hollowness, or anxiety. Regardless of what it is, we can train ourselves to face our discomfort with kindness and compassion. This shifts us from reactive to more mindful and creative responses.
Often, when I find myself glued to my computer, obsessed with reading articles online, I’ll use this mindful approach. I’ll recognize I’m suffering and turn my attention to my feelings, usually noticing a sense of discomfort in my gut. When I’m not mindful, I misinterpret these feelings as signs that something is wrong and that I need to find a quick fix online.
When I practice mindfulness, I see that these unpleasant feelings are just sensations created by a part of my brain that believes my well-being is threatened. I don’t need to act on these feelings; I can simply observe them and offer myself compassion. By touching my belly or wherever I feel the discomfort, I might say, “May you be well. May you be happy. May you be at peace.”
Our social media and internet addiction stems from a desire to escape emotional pain. To break free from this addiction, we must learn to face our pain with mindfulness and compassion. When we crave something, it’s like there’s an invisible cord between us and the object of our craving. By mindfully addressing the painful feelings behind our cravings, it’s as though we cut that cord.
When I practice this—becoming mindful of my painful feelings—it weakens my emotional connection to the internet and social media. I can then put down my phone or close my laptop and choose to do something more fulfilling.
This fourth tool focuses on halting the formation of unskillful urges. By understanding the feelings driving our thoughts and urges, and responding to them more mindfully, we can break the cycle of compulsive social media use and free ourselves from this addiction.