Read the passage below and answer the questions that follow:-

The prisoners in the concentration camps in World War-II had lost faith in the future. Being in the camp, I felt disgusted with the state of affairs and I forced my thoughts to turn to another subject. “Suddenly, I saw myself standing on the platform of a well-lit, warm and pleasant lecture room. In front of me, the attentive audience were seated in comfortable upholstered seats.

I saw myself giving a lecture on hope, optimism, and resilience under difficult circumstances.” Suddenly, all that oppressed me stopped giving me pain and distress. This practice was so impactful that I could succeed in rising above the situation and the sufferings of the moment.”

Choose the correct sequence of the method used by the author as a stress management technique:

(A) One must set a realistic goal.

(B) Visualize when the mind is quiet, body is relaxed and eyes are closed.

(C) This will enable the creative energy to turn an imagined scene into reality.

(D) This reduces the risk of interference from unbidden thoughts.

(E) This subjective experience will effectively reduce stress.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

The correct answer is (A), (B), (D), (C), (E).

Step-by-step Explanation of the Stress Management Technique (Creative Visualization):

The passage describes the author's experience of overcoming the psychological trauma of a concentration camp through a process called creative visualization. To systematically apply this method as a stress management technique, the logical steps must follow this sequence:

1. Step (A): One must set a realistic goal.
Before starting any visualization, you need to define a clear and realistic objective. In the author's case, the goal was to rise above the current miserable state of affairs and focus on a constructive, positive future (giving a lecture on hope and resilience).

2. Step (B): Visualize when the mind is quiet, body is relaxed, and eyes are closed.
Once the goal is set, you enter a state of deep relaxation. Closing the eyes and relaxing the body prepares the mind to receive and construct positive mental imagery without sensory distractions.

3. Step (D): This reduces the risk of interference from unbidden thoughts.
By ensuring the mind is quiet and the body is relaxed (Step B), the likelihood of negative, random, or intrusive thoughts interfering with your visualization is minimized, allowing complete focus on the desired goal.

4. Step (C): This will enable the creative energy to turn an imagined scene into reality.
With distractions blocked out, the focused creative energy of the mind fully engages with the imagined scene (the lecture hall, the comfortable seats, the attentive audience), making it feel vivid and real to the subconscious mind.

5. Step (E): This subjective experience will effectively reduce stress.
Finally, experiencing this positive imagined reality internally releases emotional tension, stops the psychological pain of the immediate environment, and successfully lowers stress levels.

Therefore, the correct chronological and logical sequence of this technique is (A) → (B) → (D) → (C) → (E).