Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is not the same thing as multiple or split personality even though many people mistakenly believe that it is. Multiple personality disorder, which is featured in books and movies like Sybil and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, is referred to as dissociative identity disorder in the DSM-IV.

Dissociative identity disorder is a very rare mental illness in which two or more different personalities are present within the same person. Each of these personalities has his or her own memories, relationships, and ways of behaving, and only one of them is in charge at any one time. In contrast, people with schizophrenia have only one personality, although at times they may do things that they normally would not do.