In a series of posts, I explain, using teachings from early Buddhist scriptures, how we can break free from our addiction to social media. These teachings can be found in the Vitakkasanthana Sutta, an ancient text outlining five strategies to overcome compelling urges. This week, we’ll focus on the second strategy, which involves examining the drawbacks of having an uncontrollable mind.
I find this particular teaching quite vivid because it includes a graphic metaphor. It advises us to recognize unskillful and blameworthy thoughts that lead to suffering. The discourse uses the image of a young, well-dressed person with the corpse of a snake, dog, or human draped around their neck to illustrate how repulsive these unskillful thoughts should seem to us.
Applying this to social media is straightforward. We need to recognize the disadvantages and addictive nature of platforms like Facebook and Twitter, which are designed to hook into our brain’s reward systems, prompting us to continuously seek validation through likes, comments, and shares.
There’s ample evidence of the negative impact social media can have. It doesn’t just affect a handful of extreme cases; most of us are hooked. According to a 2019 study by Michigan State University and Monash University, heavy Facebook users have impaired decision-making abilities comparable to those addicted to hard drugs. Furthermore, the average person spends about four hours a day on their phone.
Social media use leads to anxiety, depression, and loneliness. It tricks us into feeling inferior by constantly comparing ourselves to others’ seemingly perfect lives. Studies show that more social media use correlates with decreased happiness and life satisfaction. Additionally, social media is a powerful tool for spreading propaganda, influencing our political decisions without us even realizing it.
Personally, the biggest drawback was the sheer amount of time I wasted on social media. I’d lose hours every morning scrolling through news and Twitter, time better spent walking, meditating, or working. Social media has a significant opportunity cost.
Other disadvantages include staying up late staring at screens, reduced productivity due to constant interruptions, neglecting our loved ones, and getting involved in online conflicts. These distractions make it harder to focus, which many of us find all too familiar.
The core issue with any addiction is that, despite its negative impact, it deceptively promises happiness. The Buddha’s teachings on cognitive distortions, or ‘vipallasa,’ illustrate how we mistakenly believe that impermanent and unwholesome things are sources of lasting happiness. Social media, online gaming, and continuous news consumption are modern examples of this distortion.
FOMO, or the Fear of Missing Out, often prevents us from reducing our social media use. Initially, I worried about losing touch with friends and missing out on important news. But I found that the less I used social media, the more content and productive I became. I enjoyed meditating more, could focus on reading books without distraction, and generally felt more at peace. This realization led to JOMO— the Joy of Missing Out.
The second tool from the Vitakkasanthana Sutta helps us scrutinize our social media habits, recognizing them as false promises of happiness that actually lead to dissatisfaction. By seeing social media as something that takes us away from truly meaningful activities, we can become more skeptical of our urges to stay hooked.
The Buddha uses a striking image to convey this: a finely dressed young person with the rotting corpse of an animal around their neck, symbolizing the repulsiveness of our addictions. This vivid metaphor helps us see the grossness of social media addiction.
However, it’s important to acknowledge the good in our lives too. Not just focusing on the drawbacks can prevent us from feeling bad about ourselves, which might ironically drive us back to social media. Instead, we should spend more time on wholesome activities like being present, meditating, engaging in meaningful work, and enjoying simple pleasures.
For instance, after disengaging from social media, I rediscovered the joys of reading, listening to classical music, and going for walks. I suggest making two lists: one of the drawbacks of using social media, and another of the wholesome activities you enjoy.
When you find yourself slipping into addictive behavior, recall these lists. Develop a feeling of “disgust” toward the addiction, balanced with an attraction to wholesome, nourishing activities that make you truly happy and bring peace to your life.
In summary, we’ve learned that recognizing the drawbacks of social media helps clarify our identity and life goals. By identifying and undermining our addictive tendencies, we can become freer, happier, and more in control of our minds.
Strategies like logging off, reassigning app icons, incorporating healthier alternatives, and scheduling social-media-free days can also help. These reflections can transform our relationship with technology, leading to a more fulfilled and balanced life.