In this series of six posts, I’ll explain how we can break free from social media addiction using teachings from early Buddhist scriptures, specifically the Vitakkasanthana Sutta. This text outlines five strategies for overcoming obsessive thoughts and the accompanying urges. Today, we’re focusing on the third tool: “ignore and forget” whatever we’re obsessed with.
The Buddha’s advice is to go through these strategies in order. If redirecting your mind to something positive doesn’t work, then try seeing the drawbacks of your addiction. If that doesn’t work either, move on to ignoring and forgetting about what obsesses you. It may sound simple, but it’s practical advice designed to reduce temptation.
We’ll explore this concept in two ways: externally by changing our habits and internally by adjusting how we relate to our experiences.
First, let’s talk about managing external habits. For example, if you’re trying to lose weight but love potato chips, keep them out of sight. The same principle applies to social media. Our phones, which we use for everything from watching TV to banking, are always around us, and this constant presence is a temptation.
Try moving your social media apps off the main screen of your phone, making them harder to access. Turn off notification badges and audible alerts to reduce interruptions, putting you back in control of when you check those apps. Charging your phone in another room, especially overnight, can also help. Using an alarm clock instead means you won’t start your day by diving into social media.
Internally, how we pay attention can make a big difference. Our usual way of seeing is like a flashlight, focusing narrowly on specific things. Try softening your gaze to take in your whole visual field, like a lamp that illuminates everything softly. This broader way of seeing can help your body and mind relax, making it easier to ignore distracting thoughts.
During meditation, a narrow focus might make you more susceptible to getting caught up in thoughts. But a relaxed, open attention makes it easier to notice thoughts without getting drawn in. This concept of “urge surfing” helps too: observing an urge rise and fall rather than acting on it immediately can diminish its power over you.
So, we’ve learned that reducing our external temptations and changing our internal focus can help manage social media addiction. Simple steps like moving your apps, turning off notifications, and charging your phone outside your bedroom can create addiction-free zones. Internally, a slight shift in how we use our eyes can provide mental space, allowing thoughts and urges to pass without capturing our attention.
By combining these strategies, we can start freeing ourselves from the patterns of thought and behavior that keep us hooked on social media.