In a series of six posts, I’ve explained how we can break free from our addiction to social media using teachings from the early Buddhist scriptures. These teachings are found in the Vitakkasanthana Sutta, which outlines five strategies for overcoming persistent thoughts and the urges that come with them. For convenience, I’ve nicknamed it “the Social Media Sutra” because it directly applies to this aspect of our lives.
Now, let’s talk about the fifth and final strategy, which might surprise you. It involves sheer willpower. The Buddha advises that when all else fails, we must use sheer determination to overcome bad thoughts. This method may seem harsh and forceful, as it involves metaphorically battling our minds into submission. It’s important to note that this should be a last resort when gentler methods don’t work.
I’ve found this approach somewhat useful. For example, when I’m mindlessly surfing the internet late at night and realize it’s affecting my sleep, I sometimes feel a sudden disgust with my actions and shut my laptop abruptly. This isn’t really willpower in the traditional sense but a reaction to an overwhelming feeling that snaps me out of my compulsion.
However, there are less forceful ways to manage urges. A strategic way to use willpower is when you’re not actively in the grip of craving. For instance, you can delete social media apps from your phone, making it harder to access them. You might use parental controls to block these apps entirely or install browser plugins that limit your time on social media.
Taking it a step further, you could delete your social media accounts altogether, though this requires significant willpower. Few people do this successfully, but it’s a powerful move. Personally, I deleted my Instagram and Facebook accounts because they weren’t bringing me happiness. Instagram left me craving validation, and Facebook was filled with negativity and privacy issues. I’ve kept Twitter but found it equally problematic due to its tendency to fuel outrage and consume time.
One effective trick I used to reduce my Twitter usage was creating a barrier to access. By locking myself out of my account and not keeping my phone by my bed, I made it difficult to give in to the urge to check Twitter first thing in the morning. This method, which involves pre-emptively setting up obstacles, helped me stay away from social media without confronting the urge head-on.
In summary, these five tools from the Vitakkasanthana Sutta can help free our minds from obsessive thinking and compulsive urges. Thank you for joining me on this journey to use the Dharma to overcome social media addiction. I’m grateful for the opportunity to share this practice and hope we all make progress in living with mindfulness, compassion, and joy.