In late 2019, I recorded a series of 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 interim, I expanded my notes into a series of six articles—an introduction and five articles detailing different tools.
Confession time: I used to be a social media addict. My teaching required me to spend a lot of time online, and I often found myself getting sucked into social media. Like many, I always have my “phone” with me—a device I rarely use for calls but more as a portal to a world of distractions. Spending too much time online affected my work and sleep, and sometimes I found myself reading endlessly about science and psychology, which while fascinating, deprived me of rest. My love for reading books diminished as I struggled to focus and immerse myself as deeply in them as I used to.
There were other issues, too, such as getting into online arguments that left me feeling anxious and angry. I also craved attention, constantly checking for likes and shares on my posts. These behaviors caused suffering. Naturally, I wondered how my Buddhist practice could help me handle this addiction.
By the time I wrote these articles, I had largely overcome my addictions, although Twitter remained a struggle. However, practicing the techniques I discuss here eventually helped me disengage from Twitter as well.
When I talk about social media addiction, I mean compulsive use despite its harmful consequences. This compulsion makes quitting difficult and often leads to feelings of shame and dishonesty about our habits. By “social media,” I also refer to online games and compulsive news checking, not just sites like Facebook or Twitter.
The Buddhist teachings, while not directly addressing the internet, offer tools for dealing with unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. Particularly, the Vitakkasanthana Sutta, or “Discourse on Quieting Thinking,” provides a framework for managing addictive urges. “Vitakka” means “thinking,” and “santhana” means “cessation.” Here, “thinking” includes urges that drive actions, such as the impulse to check your phone.
The discourse outlines five tools for letting go of these urges, applicable not just in meditation but in everyday contexts, including social media use. Think of it as the Social Media Sutra. I’ll go through each tool, explaining the Buddha’s teachings and making them practical for today’s challenges.
That’s it for today. I hope you enjoy this series and find it helpful. Notice any addictive behaviors related to your social media use and the suffering they cause. Can you experiment with giving up social media, even briefly? Observe your reactions—joy, relief, craving, anxiety—and see what insights arise.
Bodhipaksa has published a series of six posts with mindful, self-compassionate tools for overcoming social media addiction, showing how ancient texts can address modern problems.
Thank you for reading and joining me on this journey.