In a series of posts, I explain how we can break free from social media addiction using teachings from the early Buddhist scriptures, specifically the Vitakkasanthana Sutta. This ancient text outlines five strategies to overcome compelling urges.
This week, we’re looking at the second tool, examining the drawbacks of having a mind that’s out of control. This description is vivid and impactful. The text suggests that one should examine the negative aspects of their thoughts, recognizing that they are unskillful and lead to suffering. As a result, these bad thoughts are abandoned. Imagine someone young and fond of adornments having a dead snake or dog hung around their neck—they’d be horrified and disgusted.
The relevance to social media is clear. We need to recognize the downsides of our addiction to platforms like Facebook and Twitter. These technologies are designed to be addictive, hooking into our brain’s reward circuits to keep us coming back for more. They demand our attention with endless streams, autoplaying videos, and notifications.
Extensive research shows the negative effects of social media. It’s not just a few people who get seriously addicted and have their lives ruined; almost all of us are hooked. For instance, a 2019 study by Michigan State University and Monash University in Australia found that heavy Facebook users have impaired decision-making skills similar to those addicted to cocaine or heroin. On average, people now spend four hours a day on their phones.
Social media use leads to anxiety, depression, and loneliness. It makes us feel inadequate compared to others who present idealized versions of their lives online. The more time we spend on social media, the more our happiness and life satisfaction decrease. Furthermore, bad actors use social media to manipulate our political decisions, often without us realizing it.
Personally, the main drawback of social media was the amount of time I wasted. I could easily spend an hour or more in the morning reading news and browsing Twitter—time that could have been spent walking, meditating, or working. Social media has an opportunity cost.
Other disadvantages include staying up too late staring at screens, reduced productivity from constant interruptions, and neglecting loved ones. We also get into online conflicts and find it hard to focus. This all sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
Addiction promises happiness but instead brings negative effects. The Buddha’s teachings on vipallasas, or cognitive distortions, highlight this. We often mistakenly believe that temporary, unskillful things can bring lasting happiness.
One commonly discussed cognitive distortion is FOMO—Fear of Missing Out. When I considered deleting my Facebook account, I worried about losing touch with distant relatives and missing out on important events. But I found that the opposite was true. The less I used social media, the more content and productive I became. I spent more time meditating and could focus on reading undistracted. This was incredibly liberating.
Cutting ties with social media brought me joy instead of fear. I experienced JOMO—the Joy of Missing Out. Examining the drawbacks of social media, as suggested in the Vitakkasanthana Sutta, helps undermine our addiction by looking more clearly at our desires and recognizing them as false promises. We start to see that these addictive behaviors make us unhappy and distract us from meaningful activities.
The Buddha’s image of someone adorned with a corpse encourages us to recognize the grossness of our addictions. Social media addiction is like having a rotting corpse around our neck. But we should also acknowledge what’s good and wholesome in our lives. Recognizing both the unskillful and the skillful helps us see what’s out of place. Reflecting solely on the drawbacks might make us feel bad and drive us back to social media to escape negative feelings. So, it’s essential to focus on wholesome activities that bring peace and joy, such as being present with ourselves and others, meditating, and engaging in meaningful work.
As I disengaged from social media, I rediscovered the joys of reading, listening to classical music, and going for walks. I enjoyed the simplicity and presence in these activities.
To break free from social media addiction, make two lists: one of the drawbacks of social media and one of the wholesome activities that bring you joy and peace. When you feel the urge to engage in addictive online behaviors, recall these lists. Create a sense of disgust towards addictive behaviors and an attraction to wholesome activities that truly make you happy.
These reflections help us see addictive behavior as gross and out of place in our lives. They help us recognize and overcome our addictive tendencies, leading to greater freedom, happiness, and control over our minds.