In a series of posts, I explain how teachings from early Buddhist scriptures can help us free ourselves from the addiction to social media. Specifically, these teachings are found in the Vitakkasanthana Sutta, which outlines five strategies to overcome compelling urges. This week, we’re focusing on the second strategy: understanding the drawbacks of having an uncontrollable mind.
I find this explanation particularly vivid and powerful. The teaching suggests we should examine the harmful effects of our thoughts, recognizing them as unskillful, blameworthy, and leading to suffering. By doing so, we can let go of these harmful thoughts.
One striking visualization in the text is comparing our harmful thoughts to a person wearing the corpse of a snake, dog, or human as an adornment. This image powerfully conveys how repulsive and counterproductive these thoughts can be.
Applying this to social media, it becomes clear that we need to recognize the disadvantages of our social media addiction. Social media platforms are designed to hook our attention by engaging our brain’s reward circuits. Features like endless scrolling, autoplay, and real-time notifications are crafted to keep us continually engaged.
Studies have shown the negative impacts of heavy social media use. It’s not only about extreme cases of addiction but also affects almost everyone. Research from Michigan State University and Monash University in Australia found that heavy Facebook users have impaired decision-making skills similar to those addicted to drugs like cocaine or heroin. On average, people now spend about four hours daily on their phones.
The habit of excessive social media use can lead to anxiety, depression, and loneliness. It often makes us feel inadequate by comparing our everyday lives to the highlight reels others post. The more time we spend on social media, the worse we feel about ourselves.
Moreover, social media can be a tool for social engineering and propaganda, influencing our political decisions without us even realizing it. For instance, a Russian internet agency once used a mindfulness page on Facebook to interfere with U.S. elections.
Personally, the biggest drawback was the amount of time I wasted on social media. I could easily lose an hour in the morning browsing news and Twitter instead of using that time for more productive or fulfilling activities like walking, meditating, or working. This wasted time represents a significant opportunity cost.
Other disadvantages include staying up late, reduced productivity, neglecting loved ones, and increased conflicts and distractions. These issues are likely familiar to most of us.
Addiction makes us believe that the very thing causing us harm will make us happy. This cognitive distortion, called vipallasa in Buddhist teachings, includes seeing things like social media use as sources of happiness when they’re actually harmful.
One common manifestation of this is FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). Initially, I worried that leaving social media would cut me off from important updates from friends and family. But in reality, reducing my social media use increased my contentment, productivity, and my ability to focus on meaningful activities like reading and meditating.
This second strategy from the Vitakkasanthana Sutta encourages us to see social media addiction for what it is: a false promise of happiness. When we recognize the drawbacks, we can better resist the urge to engage in addictive behaviors.
Returning to the vivid image from the teaching, imagine being dressed in fine clothes only to have a rotting corpse draped around your neck. This image helps us see our social media addiction as something gross and unwholesome.
It’s equally important to acknowledge the positive things in our lives that bring us peace and joy. Only by recognizing and valuing these can we see how out of place our unskillful behaviors are.
Reflecting on the drawbacks of online addiction should be balanced with nurturing positive activities. Being present with ourselves and others, meditating, focusing on meaningful work, and enjoying simple pleasures can help us regain control of our lives.
As I reduced my social media use, I rediscovered the joys of reading, listening to classical music, and walking. These activities brought me a sense of presence and simplicity.
Here are two key actions to take:
1. Create lists of the drawbacks of social media and the positive activities you enjoy.
2. When you feel the pull of addictive online behavior, recall these lists.
By fostering a sense of distaste for addictive behaviors and an attraction to wholesome activities, we can lead more content and meaningful lives. This approach allows us to recognize and overcome our addictions, gaining greater control and happiness in our daily lives.