Pain is the subjective perception that results from the modulation of the sensory input filtered through a person’s genetic makeup, prior learning and cur- rent physiological status, appraisals, expectations,mood,andsocioculturalfactors.Illness,pain,anddis- ability areinseparable as arethe cognitive and behav- ioral aspects of illness. They occur on a continuum between adaptation, resiliency, and maintained func- tion in spite of substantial impairment on the one hand and disproportionate complaints and disability with little or no objective impairment on the other. Beyond the underlying pathophysiology or disease, the illness encompasses the complex human reaction to injury and illness. Illness, disability, and pain are always interactive, mindebody events.Our automatic thoughts in response to nocicep- tion—which reflect our beliefs about the meaning of pain and own ability to function despite discomfort— determine the level of disability that we experience. For example, pain associated with the intentional stretch of a muscle before athletics or the pain experi- enced the day after a good workout is desired and does not trigger anxiety and withdrawal or avoid- ance (e.g., the ‘‘pain alarm’’), whereas the pain trig- gered by burning one’s hand on the stove has a different interpretation and consequence.Interpretations of pain vary widely among indi- viduals and within a particular individual over time. For example, among people with similar degrees of arthrosis, pain may be interpreted either as a normal part of aging or as a sign of damage, with most of our reactions falling somewhere in between these two extremes. A belief that one has a serious, debilitating condition; that disability is a necessary aspect of pain; that activity is dangerous; and that pain is an accept- able excuse for neglecting responsibilities, will likely result in decreased health and well-being (more pain, greater disability). Similarly, if patients believe that they have a serious condition or that they are at risk of injury or reinjury, then they may fear engaging in physical activity and become increasingly disabled and deconditioned over time.