In a series of six posts, I’m breaking down how teachings from early Buddhist scriptures can help us kick our social media addiction. We’re using lessons from the Vitakkasanthana Sutta, which offers five strategies to overcome strong urges. This Sutta, which translates to “The Discourse on Quieting Thinking,” is referred to here as “the Social Media Sutra.”
In this context, “thinking” isn’t just about internal chatter but also the emotional drives behind it. So, our habit of constantly checking social media is a form of this thinking.
The first tool is to shift our focus to something positive in our experience. The second tool involves recognizing the downsides of our unhelpful activities. The third tool addresses reducing temptations.
Now, let’s explore the fourth tool from the Vitakkasanthana Sutta and see how it can help with social media addiction. This tool is known as “stopping the formation of thoughts.” Essentially, it’s like finding a way to turn down the volume on our overactive minds.
So, what does the discourse actually say about using this tool? If previous methods haven’t worked to quiet our urges, we should focus on stopping the formation of these thoughts. By doing this, unhelpful thoughts and desires fade away, and our mind becomes calm and unified, leading to mindful absorption.
Let’s use an example to better understand this idea: Imagine someone walking quickly who decides to slow down. They then decide to stand still, sit down, and finally lie down, each step gradually reducing their pace. This metaphor illustrates how we can become more aware of what is driving us and, by recognizing it, gradually slow down and find rest.
When our mind pushes us into compulsively using social media, there’s a driving mechanism behind it. By examining what’s pushing us, we can choose to let our mind relax.
For instance, if you’re mindlessly browsing the web, you might realize there’s an underlying anxiety. This anxiety might feel like a tight, uncomfortable sensation in your gut. Part of your brain is generating this feeling, perceiving boredom or FOMO (fear of missing out) as threats. This stimulates unpleasant sensations to alert you to the supposed danger.
Another part of the brain reacts to this discomfort by creating impulses to keep browsing. These might come with thoughts like “Just one more article” or “Maybe two more.” The goal is to slow down both the urge and the inner dialogue that fuels it.
Feelings are central in Buddhist practice, with the Buddha noting that everything converges on feeling due to their key role in our experience. In our example, the unpleasant feeling drives our behavior. By becoming aware of this feeling, we realize we don’t have to react to it. We can simply observe it, understand that it’s a part of us that’s suffering, and show compassion towards it.
Through mindful self-compassion, we create a small, sacred pause that allows us to act more wisely. In the case of internet addiction, underlying feelings might be boredom, hollowness, dread, or anxiety. We can train ourselves to face this discomfort and respond with kindness and compassion, shifting from a reactive to a more mindful and wise approach.
Often, when I find myself endlessly reading articles online, I realize I’m suffering and turn my attention to my feelings. Usually, there’s something unpleasant in my gut. In a mindless state, I perceive this as a signal that something’s wrong and that I need to fix it—often by checking more sites. These reactions are instinctual, not planned.
When mindful, I recognize the unpleasant feeling as just a bodily sensation triggered by a brain segment concerned about my well-being. I don’t need to act on it. I can just observe and show compassion to the suffering part of me, sometimes even touching the affected area and thinking, “May you be well. May you be happy. May you be at peace.”
Social media addiction stems from trying to escape emotional pain. We can’t break free from such urges until we learn to face our pain with mindfulness and compassion. When we crave something, it’s as if an emotional cord connects us to it. However, mindful attention to our painful feelings cuts this cord, weakening or breaking our attachment to social media or online activities.
By becoming more mindful of these feelings, our emotional ties to the internet diminish, allowing us to put down our devices and do something more fulfilling. This fourth tool helps us stop unproductive urges by examining what’s fueling our thoughts and finding healthier ways to respond, thus freeing us from compulsive engagement with social media.