In a series of six posts, I explain, drawing from early Buddhist scriptures, how we can free ourselves from our addiction to social media. These teachings come from the Vitakkasanthana Sutta, which outlines five strategies for overcoming persistent thoughts and the urges that come with them.
Vitakkasanthana Sutta translates to “the Discourse on Quieting Thinking,” but I’ll refer to it as “the Social Media Sutra” because it’s more memorable and directly applicable to our modern lives.
Now, let’s talk about the fifth and final technique, which might surprise you: sheer willpower. The Buddha advises that when all else fails, you should use strong determination—like clenching your teeth and pressing your tongue against the roof of your mouth—to mentally squash unhelpful thoughts.
This approach sounds intense and even violent, likened to a strong man overpowering a weaker one by force. Using this method is a last resort, only when other methods do not work.
I’ve used this occasionally. For instance, if I’m browsing the internet late at night and suddenly feel a wave of disgust, I might slam my laptop shut. This isn’t exactly willpower; it’s more an instantaneous reaction that ends my compulsive surfing.
Luckily, there are smarter ways to combat these urges. By using willpower when we aren’t actively caught up in craving, we can make decisions that limit our temptations. Deleting social media apps from our phones makes it harder to access them. Using parental safety settings to block these sites or browser plugins that limit time spent on them can also help.
For example, deleting your social media accounts can be a forceful yet effective method. I deleted my Instagram account because I didn’t like craving validation through likes or comments. I also deleted my Facebook account because it was more distressing than enjoyable, with arguments and privacy issues.
Research shows quitting social media makes us happier. However, our minds deceive us into thinking we need social media for happiness. Recognizing these lies helps us break free.
Eventually, I found myself only using Twitter, which still posed problems by consuming time and serving as a constant source of outrage.
A final trick that worked for me involved creating a barrier to my account. Changing your password to something unknown and locking yourself out makes it hard to log back in. Though you can reset the password, the extra step acts as a deterrent.
So, my current state is disconnected from social media and much happier for it. This method isn’t about fighting urges head-on but creating barriers when you’re not under their influence.
To summarize, we’ve explored the five strategies from the Vitakkasanthana Sutta to help free our minds from obsessive and compulsive urges. Thank you for joining me in this series on using the Dharma to overcome social media addiction. It’s been a pleasure to share these teachings and I’m grateful for the chance to explore our practice together.
May we continue progressing in living with mindfulness, compassion, and joy.