The title is “Beyond Perception: The Intersection of Indiagnosed mental Disorders and Alrernate Realities”

Bodhi’s thesis explores a **controversial and boundary pushing** idea: what if symptoms of certain mental disorders—particularly Schizophrenia & Schizoaffective disorder—aren’t just neurological malfunctions, but altered states of perception that allow individuals to experience realities beyond our own.

Her reasearch delves into:

**_- Cognitive divergence vs. hallucination:_**

Are individuals with **Schizophrenia truly “hallucinating”, or are they perceiving something others cannot comprehend?

**_- The Nature of Consciousness:_**

Could the brain’s wiring allow for perception of other dimensions, frequencies, or energies?

**_- Cultural Perspectives on Mental Illness:_**

In some cultures, visions and voices are considered a form of spiritual insight rather than pathology. Could Western medicine be mislabeling heightened perception as illness?

Why is it Significant?

1. Deeply Personal — her older brother, Alec, suffers from schizophrenia, and Bodhi has spent her life questioning whether his visions and experiences are purely delusional or something more. She grew up watching him struggle under a system that dismissed his reality, which made her passionate about exploring alternative perspectives on mental illness.

2. Academic Brilliance — this thesis is her final project before graduation, and if successful, it could set her apart in the psychology field. Her work challenges traditional diagnostic frameworks, making it both groundbreaking and controversial..

3. Foreshadowing Malcolm’s Manipulation — Her research aligns too perfectly with the kind of psychological manipulation Malcolm will use against her. He will exploit her belief in perception beyond reality, making her question what is real and what isn’t as he slowly unravels her mind

4. The first step to Malcolm’s obsession —Malcolm becomes fixated on her because of her thesis. It fascinates him, validates his own distorted view of the world and makes him see Bodhi as someone who “understands” things no one else does.

How Does It Drive the Plot?

~ Her thesis puts her in Malcolm’s direct path when he grades it during her dissertation defense.

~ It serves as a core theme in the story—Bodhi’s inability to tryst her own perception plays into her slow descent into Malcolm’s psychological grip.

~ It becomes weaponized against her, as Malcolm feeds her paranoia, making her doubt whether asariahs disappearance, his presence in her life, and the unraveling events around her are real or imagined.

This thesis is more than just an academic paper—its the key to Bodhi’s downfall.