Dissociation is a multidimensional transdiagnostic phenomenon, generally defined as a disruption of normally integrated mental functions. While the existence of dissociative phenomena is recognized and validated across cultures, a uniform conceptualization of dissociative symptoms and disorders is currently lacking. A common way to classify dissociative experiences is to distinguish between symptoms of detachment (depersonalization, derealization) and compartmentalization. Compartmentalization is a psychological process in which conflicting emotions, thoughts, or memories are mentally separated, which can lead to fragmented emotional experiences, identity disruptions, and memory disturbances. Dissociation may also include dissociative flashbacks (involuntary, unwanted intrusions of sensory, affective, and cognitive information into conscious awareness or behaviour) and dissociative absorption (total immersion in a present activity or event). The severity of dissociative experiences varies considerably, ranging from non-pathological symptoms to dissociative disorders. While some researchers assume that dissociative experiences represent a continuum, others believe there is a clear qualitative distinction between non-clinical dissociation and pathological dissociation. Pathological dissociation is—at least initially—unexpected, unwanted, confusing, and startling. The impact of dissociative symptoms can vary considerably, depending on their severity and the person´s social-psychological, cultural, and psychopathological background.