In a series of six posts, I explain how we can free ourselves from our addiction to social media using the teachings from early Buddhist scriptures. These teachings are found in the Vitakkasanthana Sutta, which outlines five strategies to overcome compelling thoughts and the urges that accompany them. I refer to this text as the “Social Media Sutra” because it makes the teachings more relatable to our modern lives.
Now, let’s talk about the fifth and final tool: sheer willpower. This might surprise you, but it’s about using intense mental effort to overcome bad thoughts. The Vitakkasanthana Sutta describes it vividly, suggesting that with teeth clenched and tongue pressed against the roof of the mouth, one should “squeeze, squash, and torture” their mind to get rid of negative thoughts. It may sound harsh, and indeed, it is a last resort method, meant to be used when other approaches fail.
Sometimes, this method has helped me, especially late at night when I’m browsing the internet. Even though the content is good, like articles on science and psychology, it robs me of sleep. Suddenly, I’ll feel a sense of disgust and almost slam my laptop shut, stopping my compulsive surfing. However, this reaction is less about willpower and more about a natural aversion that arises.
Fortunately, there are better and less harsh ways to overcome your urges. Using “sneaky” willpower involves making decisions when you’re not caught up in craving. For instance, deleting your social media apps from your phone makes it harder to access them. You can go further by using your phone’s parental controls to block these sites entirely, or using browser plugins to limit your time on social media.
For a more drastic step, you can delete your social media accounts altogether. Although difficult, it’s a powerful way to reclaim your time. I did this with my Instagram and Facebook accounts. Despite Instagram being relatively benign, I found myself craving validation through likes and comments. Facebook, on the other hand, was full of arguments and privacy concerns, making it easier to leave.
Research indicates that quitting social media makes us happier, but addiction and self-deception often hold us back. We tell ourselves that social media is essential for our happiness, but these are lies. We managed to live without it before, and we can do so again.
After deleting Instagram and Facebook, I only had Twitter left. It was less of an issue but still problematic. Twitter often promotes outrage, which negatively affects my well-being. It’s also time-consuming, sometimes sucking me in for 40 minutes or more first thing in the morning.
Here’s one final willpower trick that helped me quit Twitter: create barriers that make it hard to access your account. Change your password to something random and log out. Now, you’re locked out but can theoretically get back in if needed. This extra barrier has kept me off Twitter for months.
To sum up, we’ve been exploring five tools from the Vitakkasanthana Sutta to help free our minds from obsessive thinking and compulsive urges. I hope this series has been helpful in using the Dharma to overcome social media addiction. It’s been a joy to share these insights, and I’m grateful for the opportunity. Let’s continue to strive for mindfulness, compassion, and joy in our lives.