How to Forget a Spoiler

Did you accidentally miss a “spoiler alert” in a review of a new television show? Or did a friend bring up a key plot point at the end of a book you’re still in the middle of reading? When you already know what’s going to happen in a story, it can be difficult to enjoy movies, books, or television shows. Luckily, there are a number of mental exercises you can use to try and forget a spoiler—like repeatedly blocking the thought until it fades, or using a ritual release.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Blocking Thoughts of the Spoiler

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1
Understand that blocking a thought is difficult. Scientists have found that if they explain to people in advance that blocking a thought is a difficult process, it actually prevents “rebounding” (when the thought returns, but even stronger). So, before you get started, acknowledge that this process won’t be simple or instantaneous.^{[1]XResearch source}
- Don't get frustrated if the thought of the spoiler returns throughout the process. Don’t blame yourself or get angry. Stay calm and remember that it will take time.
2
Let your mind go blank when you think of the spoiler. You need a strategy for handling the thought when it pops into your mind. Start by ignoring the thought of the spoiler completely when it comes. Instead, think of nothing—picture a white wall or a blank sheet of paper.^{[2]XResearch source}
- Memory suppression comes more easily to certain people. If this mental exercise causes you trouble, consider moving on to the next step.^{[3]XResearch source}
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3
Replace the thought of the spoiler with a different one. Try substituting the unwanted thought with a different one whenever it pops up. You could replace the memory of the spoiler with the plot of another TV show that you’ve already watched, for example.^{[4]XResearch source}
- 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 trying not to think of the color blue, think of red or green things, instead.^{[5]XResearch source}
4
Repeat the process on a daily basis. Forgetting a spoiler won’t happen immediately. To improve your chances of forgetting the information completely, push it out of your consciousness on a daily basis. Psychology experiments suggest it could take about a month. Over a longer period, practicing mental blocks may make it easier for you to suppress a memory.^{[6]XResearch source}
- This entire process of blocking thoughts can also be applied to sensory details associated with the memory of the spoiler, rather than the spoiler itself. These details might include: the face of a friend who told you the spoiler, a particular song playing in the background, or the location where you heard the spoiler mentioned. Try blocking these related memories instead of the spoiler itself.^{[7]XResearch source}
- Scientists have shown that once you’ve destroyed the mental framework surrounding a memory, it will be easier for the memory of the spoiler itself to fade.^{[8]XResearch source}

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Erasing the Spoiler with a Ritual Release

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A 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.^{[9]XTrustworthy SourceAssociation for Psychological ScienceNonprofit organization devoted promoting trustworthy research and education in the psychological sciencesGo to source} It could be an old-timey black-and-white photograph, or a more recent color printout. Either way, make sure the mental photograph is a three-dimensional object in your mind.
2
Imagine that you have set the mental photograph on fire. Start by picturing the edges of the photo curling up and turning brown. Watch as the fire burns through the mental image until the entire photograph has finally turned to ash and crumbled away.^{[10]XResearch source}
- A ritual release can also be conducted using another mental image in place of the imaginary photograph. For example, you could imagine the spoiler as a car sinking into a lake or as an ice cube slowly melting away in the sun.
3
Repeat the ritual regularly. The memory of the spoiler may not disappear immediately. If so, repeat the mental exercise daily until the details begin to fade away.^{[11]XResearch source}
- It may take about a month for the process to take hold.^{[12]XResearch source}
- This mental exercise may not work for everyone since old memories are never completely erased.

Community Q&A

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Question
What can I do if I need to forget a spoiler in 1 to 2 days?
TheArtOfSarcasm
Community Answer
Forgetting a spoiler within such a short amount of time can be very difficult, but it is not impossible. Focus on other things, mainly something that will distract you from your thoughts. The more you think about the spoiler, the harder it will be to forget.
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Question
What should I do if I forget the spoiler, but it shows up again somewhere and makes it harder for me to forget?
Abhi
Community Answer
If something's been spoiled for you and you're trying your best to forget it, try to stay away the best you can from places you might see the spoiler again until you forget about it completely. The more times you see a spoiler, the harder it will be to forget it, so avoidance is much better than trying to forget it multiple times.
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Question
I got spoiled on the members of the villain team. Which sensory detail frameworks should I forget?
Funpineapple6
Community Answer
Only you can decide. Sometimes it’s fine to know a spoiler if it’s not a massive one, you don’t really need to forget it.
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