In a series of posts, I’m explaining how we can liberate ourselves from our social media addiction using teachings from early Buddhist scriptures. One of these teachings is found in the Vitakkasanthana Sutta, which outlines five strategies for overcoming our overpowering urges.
This week, we focus on the second strategy: examining the drawbacks of having an uncontrolled mind. This particular tool involves recognizing the disadvantages of being engrossed in social media and our addiction to it.
It’s important to understand that technologies like Facebook and Twitter are intentionally designed to be addictive. They tap into our brain’s reward system, compelling us to seek more stimulation. We keep checking for likes, shares, and comments, often wasting endless time on these platforms. Features like endless scrolling and autoplaying videos are designed to keep us hooked.
Evidence shows that social media has numerous negative effects. According to a 2019 study by Michigan State University and Monash University, heavy Facebook users exhibit decision-making impairments comparable to those addicted to drugs like cocaine or heroin. Essentially, social media makes us anxious, depressed, and lonely. It creates false perceptions that we are falling behind in life, as people usually display overly positive portrayals of their lives online. Additionally, time spent on social media lowers our overall happiness and life satisfaction.
Social media also serves as a tool for propaganda, subtly influencing our political decisions without our awareness. For instance, Facebook found that a Russian internet agency had used a mindfulness page as part of its strategy to meddle in U.S. elections.
Personally, I found the biggest issue with social media was the sheer amount of time wasted. Mornings could easily slip away as I scrolled through news and tweets, which could otherwise be spent on more fulfilling activities like walking, meditating, or working. Social media addiction also incurs opportunity costs.
Other downsides include staying up too late staring at screens, reduced productivity, neglecting loved ones, engaging in online conflicts, and diminished attention spans. These effects are likely familiar to you.
Addiction, despite its negative impact, promises happiness. This is a cognitive distortion, known in Buddhism as vipallasa. It encompasses false beliefs, like thinking impermanent things are permanent or perceiving unattractive things as attractive. Here, we irrationally believe that social media will bring us happiness, despite it often making us unhappy.
The fear of missing out (FOMO) exacerbates this. Initially, I worried that deleting my Facebook account would disconnect me from distant relatives and important events. But I found the contrary to be true; the less I used social media, the more content and productive I became. I could meditate more, focus on reading undistractedly, and enjoy activities like listening to classical music and walking. This shift brought about the Joy of Missing Out (JOMO).
The second tool from the Vitakkasanthana Sutta, examining social media’s drawbacks, helps weaken our addiction by encouraging skepticism toward our urges. We start seeing our desires to check social media as false promises. Realizing that these urges don’t make us happy enables us to focus on genuinely meaningful activities.
The Buddha uses a vivid image to illustrate this: imagine a well-dressed young person with the corpse of a snake, dog, or human draped around their neck. This grotesque image serves to show the repulsiveness of our addictions. But recognizing what is good and wholesome in our lives is also crucial. It’s only in appreciating the good that the negative aspects stand out.
Simply reflecting on the drawbacks of social media might make us feel worse, potentially pushing us further into addiction. Therefore, we should also direct our attention to wholesome activities, like being present, meditating, engaging in meaningful work, and enjoying simple pleasures.
Since distancing myself from social media, I’ve rediscovered deep immersion in books, classical music, and the joy of simple, present living. I suggest making two lists: one detailing the negative impacts of social media on your life and the other highlighting activities that bring you peace and joy. When caught in addictive behaviors, recall these lists. Develop a sense of “disgust” for the addiction, but balance it with an attraction to the wholesome aspects that genuinely make you happy.
In conclusion, recognizing and reflecting on these points helps us see our addictive behaviors as incongruent with who we want to be. This clarity empowers us to free ourselves from addiction, leading to a happier and more controlled life.