What is an alternative name for multiple personality disorder?

The story behind the answer

“Multiple personality disorder” is the outdated term for dissociative identity disorder (DID), a condition involving two or more distinct identity states and significant memory gaps beyond normal forgetfulness. Schizophrenia is a different disorder involving hallucinations and delusions, not multiple identities; body integrity identity disorder concerns body ownership; and an “identity crisis” is not a clinical diagnosis.

The term changed in 1994 to emphasize that the core issue is dissociation—fragmentation of one identity—rather than truly separate “personalities.” DID is often linked to severe, chronic childhood trauma as a coping response. Memory tip: DID = “Dissociated Identities,” reminding you it’s about identity fragmentation and dissociative amnesia, not psychosis.