In a series of six posts, I explain how teachings from the early Buddhist scriptures can help us break free from our addiction to social media. These teachings come from the Vitakkasanthana Sutta, which outlines five strategies to overcome persistent thoughts and the urges that come with them.
The Vitakkasanthana Sutta literally means “the Discourse on Quieting Thinking,” but I refer to it as “the Social Media Sutra.” This nickname not only sounds catchier but also serves as a reminder that these teachings are applicable to our modern lives.
Let’s talk about the fifth and final tool, which may surprise you: sheer willpower. The Buddha suggests using willpower as a last resort. With teeth clenched and tongue pressed against the roof of the mouth, we should “squeeze, squash, and torture mind with mind,” causing negative thoughts to dissipate. This sounds harsh and is comparable to a strong man overpowering a weaker one. While it might seem extreme, sometimes we need to be strict with ourselves, but only when other methods have failed.
I’ve found this useful late at night when I’m endlessly surfing the internet, even if the content is valuable. I often experience a sudden disgust with what I’m doing, which leads me to shut my laptop forcefully. This burst of healthy distaste can overpower my craving and break the cycle of compulsive behavior.
However, relying on willpower alone is not the best strategy. More effective methods exist, such as making decisions when you’re not in the grip of craving. For instance, deleting social media apps from your phone is a strong move. You can also use your phone’s parental safety settings to block addictive sites or install browser plugins that limit your social media time. A more extreme approach is to delete your social media accounts entirely, which requires significant willpower.
I deleted my Instagram and Facebook accounts for these reasons. Instagram left me craving validation, and Facebook was a constant source of loathing due to unpleasant interactions and privacy concerns. Research shows quitting social media makes us happier, though addiction and self-deception often prevent us from taking this step.
Finally, I devised a “willpower” trick to quit Twitter. Instead of deleting my account, I locked myself out by changing my password to something I couldn’t remember. This way, the account still exists, but I can’t access it easily. This method has kept me away from Twitter for months, improving my emotional well-being and freeing up my time.
In summary, we’ve explored the five tools from the Vitakkasanthana Sutta to free our minds from obsessive thinking and compulsive urges. Thank you for joining me in this series on using the Dharma to overcome social media addiction. I’m grateful for the opportunity to explore and share these practices, and I hope we all continue to make progress in living with mindfulness, compassion, and joy.