In late 2019, I recorded a series of talks for “Tricycle” magazine discussing how Buddhist techniques can help overcome social media and internet addiction. Though the talks weren’t released online until January of the following year, I decided to turn my notes into a series of articles. There are six in total: this introduction and one article for each of the five tools.
I expanded on my talks because I realized I missed some points. If you’re interested, here are links to Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5.
I’m the first to admit I’ve struggled with social media addiction. As someone whose work involves being online a lot, I’ve often found myself getting sucked into it. I carry around a device that I rarely use as a phone but rather as a glass portal to endless distractions.
Spending so much time online affected my work and led to late nights reading engrossing articles, mostly about science and psychology. Even though these topics were fascinating, I couldn’t stop, leading to sleep deprivation. This habit also affected my ability to focus on reading books, causing life to feel shallower.
I encountered additional issues, like getting involved in online disputes, which led to anger and anxiety. I’d become anxious about whether my posts were getting likes or shares. All these behaviors led to suffering, which I wanted to avoid. Naturally, I asked myself how my Buddhist practice could help me break these online habits.
I’ve found some tools useful and want to share them in case you have similar struggles. By the time I wrote these articles, I’d mostly overcome my addictions, though I still occasionally spent too much time on Twitter. However, these techniques eventually helped me disengage from Twitter as well.
When I refer to social media addiction, I mean the compulsive use of social media despite its harmful effects. This addiction can extend to online games or even compulsively checking the news. Compulsion means we feel out of control and may experience unpleasant feelings at the thought of quitting, often leading to shame and dishonesty about our addiction.
The Buddha didn’t talk about the internet, but he did offer advice on overcoming compulsive thoughts and behaviors. A particular discourse, the Vitakkasanthana Sutta or “Discourse on Quieting Thinking,” provides valuable insights. “Vitakka” means “thinking” and “santhana” means “stopping.”
In this context, “thinking” includes unspoken urges that drive actions, like picking up your phone without conscious thought. This discourse is fundamentally about letting go of unhelpful habits.
Most interpret the Vitakkasanthana Sutta as focusing on meditation, but its principles apply broadly, including on social media. You could even call it the Social Media Sutra.
The discourse offers five tools, presented in a sequence to try one after another if needed. These tools provide practical ways to overcome addictive behaviors and the accompanying negative emotions like anger and anxiety. I’ll go through each, explaining the Buddha’s teachings along with practical applications.
For now, I invite you to notice your addictive behaviors on social media and the resulting suffering. Consider experimenting with giving up social media for a day or two. Observe any emotions that arise, like joy, relief, craving, or anxiety. Over time, try reducing your social media usage to improve your well-being.
Applying this approach, though it requires willpower, can significantly reduce social media use. This series of posts aims to bring ancient wisdom to modern challenges, showing the timeless relevance of Buddhist teachings.
Notice any addictive behavior patterns related to your social media use and the resulting suffering. Consider experimenting with giving up social media for a short period. What feelings arise during this time? Joy, relief, anxiety, craving? Gradually, try reducing your social media usage time.
This practice may take effort and willpower but can effectively reduce social media addiction.