In this series of posts, I’m exploring how teachings from early Buddhist scriptures can help us break free from social media addiction. These insights come from the Vitakkasanthana Sutta, which offers five strategies for dealing with overwhelming thoughts and accompanying urges.
The Buddha suggests working through these techniques step-by-step. If redirecting the mind to positive thoughts doesn’t work, the next step is recognizing the drawbacks of our addiction. If that also doesn’t help, we move on to the third tool: simply “ignore and forget” whatever we’re obsessed with. That’s our focus today.
The advice here is straightforward: if bad, unskillful thoughts related to desire, hate, or delusion keep coming up, you should ignore and forget about them. You might think, “easier said than done,” but let’s delve deeper.
This approach is about reducing temptation. We’ll look at two areas: external activity (changing our habits to literally ignore social media) and internal activity (how we relate to our experiences and attention).
Firstly, consider managing your attention practically. For instance, if you want to lose weight but love potato chips, keeping them out of sight helps. The same principle applies to our online habits. Our devices are everywhere, making us constantly tempted. You could move your social media apps to the second or third screen on your phone and turn off notifications to reduce interruptions and regain control.
One effective strategy is to keep your phone out of sight, especially at night. Try charging it in another room so it’s not the first thing you reach for in the morning. This creates a barrier and helps you start your day without immediate exposure to social media.
Reading a book instead of going online first thing in the morning can be more beneficial. Books help train the mind to concentrate and provide deeper nourishment than most online content. You can also establish phone-free times, like during meals with family or friends, or even on meditation retreats.
Internally, the way we use our eyes can significantly affect how we handle our thoughts. When we focus narrowly, like a flashlight, our attention is limited and easily drawn to distracting thoughts. By relaxing the eyes and broadening our visual field, like a lamp, we can be aware of a vast range of sensations. This helps us stay composed and less likely to get caught up in compulsive thoughts about social media.
This concept of “urge surfing” teaches that urges, like waves, build up and pass away. Observing an urge without acting on it can help it subside. Using a soft gaze can aid in this process, allowing us to let go more easily.
Although the idea of ignoring and forgetting unskillful thoughts might seem simplistic, it’s actually profound. We’ve learned that we can create spaces free from distraction, both externally and internally, to help us overcome social media addiction. By strategically managing our environment and altering our focus, we can let go of addictive thought patterns and behaviors.