Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Block thoughts about the spoiler
• Method 2 of 2: Clear the spoiler with a ritual release

Did you accidentally miss a "spoiler alert" in a review of a new TV show? Or has a friend revealed an important punch line about the end of a book you're still reading? If you already know what's going to happen in a story, it can be difficult to enjoy movies, books, or television shows. Fortunately, there are a number of mental exercises you can perform to try and forget about a spoiler, such as repeatedly blocking the thought until it fades, or using a ritual release.

To step

Method 1 of 2: Block thoughts about the spoiler

1. Understand that it is difficult to block a thought. Scientists have found that when they explain to people in advance that blocking a thought is a difficult process, it actually prevents "bouncing back" (when the thought returns, but even more strongly). So, before you start, you must recognize that this process will not be simple or immediate.
   • Don't get frustrated if the thought of the spoiler returns in the process. Don't blame yourself or get angry. Stay calm and remember it's going to take a while.
2. Clear your mind when you think about the spoiler. You need a strategy for dealing with the thought when it comes to your mind. Start by completely ignoring the thought of the spoiler as it comes up. Instead, think about nothing - imagine a white wall or a blank piece of paper.
   • Memory suppression is easier for certain people. If this mental exercise is causing you problems, consider moving on to the next step.
3. Replace the thought of the spoiler with another thought. Try to replace the unwanted thought with another one when it pops up. For example, you could replace the spoiler's memory with the plot of another TV show you've already seen.
   • An alternative is to fill your mind with opposing thoughts. Replace details of the thought with other details that are very different. For example, if you're not trying to think about the color blue, think about red or green things.
4. Repeat the process daily. Forgetting a spoiler doesn't happen overnight. Push the information out of your consciousness on a daily basis so that you increase the chances of forgetting the information completely. Psychological experiments suggest it can take about a month. Practicing mental blocks over a longer period of time can make it easier for you to suppress a memory.
   • This entire process of blocking thoughts can also be applied to sensory details related to the spoiler's memory, rather than the spoiler itself. These details could include the face of a friend who told you the spoiler, a particular song playing in the background, or the place where you heard the spoiler. Instead of blocking the spoiler itself, try to block these related reminders.
   • Scientists have shown that once you've destroyed the mental framework around a memory, it's easier to let the memory of the spoiler itself fade.

Method 2 of 2: Clear the spoiler with a ritual release

1. Imagine part of the spoiler that you want to forget. Ritual release is a mental exercise that can help you forget a memory. To begin the exercise, transform a scene from the spoiler into a detailed mental snapshot. It could be an old-fashioned black and white photo or a more recent color print. Either way, make sure the mental picture is a three-dimensional object in your head.
2. Imagine that you set the mental picture on fire. Start by imagining the edges of the photo curling up and turning brown. Watch the fire burn through the mental image until the entire photo has finally turned to ashes and crumbled.
   • A ritual release can also be performed with a different mental image instead of the imaginary photo. You can imagine the spoiler, for example, as a car sinking into a lake or as an ice cube that slowly melts in the sun.
3. Repeat the ritual regularly. The spoiler memory may not go away immediately. If so, repeat the mental exercise daily until the details start to fade.
   • It may take about a month for the process to start.
   • This mental exercise may not work for everyone as old memories are never completely erased.