Have you missed the spoiler notice for a new TV show review, or has a friend gutted the end of the book you're reading and you're halfway through? When you know what is going to happen in a story, it can be difficult to enjoy movies, books, and television shows. Luckily, there are several mental exercises you can use to try to forget a spoiler, such as repeatedly blocking the memory until it disappears or through a ritual of liberation.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Block Spoiler Memories
Step 1. Understand that blocking a memory is difficult
Scientists have found that if they explain to people in advance that blocking a memory is a difficult process, they prevent its recovery (that the memory comes back in a stronger way). So before you start, be aware that this is not an easy or instant process.
Don't be frustrated if the memory of the spoiler comes back during the process. Do not blame yourself or get angry. Be calm and remember that it takes time
Step 2. Let your mind go blank when you think of the spoiler
You need a strategy to handle the memory when it comes to mind. It starts off by completely ignoring the memory of the spoiler when it appears. Instead of thinking about nothing, imagine a white wall or a blank sheet of paper.
Deleting a memory may be easier for some people. If this mental exercise causes you any problems, consider moving on to the next step
Step 3. Replace the spoiler memory with a different one
Try to replace it with a different one when it comes to mind. For example, you can replace the memory of the spoiler with the plot of another television show that you have already seen.
An alternative is to fill your mind with opposing thoughts. Replace the details of the memory with others that are very different; For example, if you try not to think of the color blue, think of things red or green
Step 4. Repeat the process daily
Forgetting a spoiler doesn't happen immediately. To increase the chances of completely forgetting information, remove it from your consciousness on a daily basis. Psychological experiments give us to understand that it takes a month. Practicing mental block for longer can make it easier for you to erase a memory.
- This whole process of blocking thoughts can be applied to some sensory details related to the memory of the spoiler, rather than the spoiler itself. These details can include the face of the friend who spoiled you, a specific song playing in the background, and the location where you heard the spoiler. Try to block out the cited memories rather than the spoiler itself.
- Scientists have shown that once you've removed the mental frame surrounding a memory, it will be easier to forget about the spoiler.
Method 2 of 2: Erase the spoiler through a liberation ritual
Step 1. Imagine a part of the spoiler that you want to forget
A liberation ritual is a mental exercise that can help you forget a memory. To start the exercise, turn a scene from the spoiler into a detailed mental snapshot. This can be an old black and white photograph or a newer color photograph. In any case, make sure that the mental photograph is a three-dimensional object in your mind.
Step 2. Imagine that you set fire to the mental photograph and begin to visualize how the edges curl up and turn brown
Observe how the fire burns the photo, through a mental image, until finally it turns to ashes completely and these are scattered.
A liberation ritual can also be carried out with another mental image instead of an imaginary photograph. For example, you can imagine the spoiler as a car sinking into a lake, or as an ice cube slowly melting in the sun
Step 3. Repeat the ritual frequently
The memory of the spoiler may not go away immediately. If so, repeat the mental exercise daily until the details start to blur.
- This process can take about a month to work.
- This mental exercise may not work for everyone because older memories are not completely erased.