The United States is in the midst of a serious opioid epidemic, with 92,183 drug overdose causalities in 2020. An astounding 1 in 5 Americans have chronic pain, and prescription opioid medication for chronic pain treatment has more than tripled between 1999 and 2015. Research is needed to develop and test safe alternatives to opioids for the treatment of chronic pain. The purpose of this project is to examine one such option: open-label (i.e. honest) placebos (OLPs). While placebos are typically used in control conditions to test against active treatment, research across a variety of clinical trials has shown that placebos, even when given without deception or concealment, can effectively treat chronic pain. Typically, participants enrolled in OLP trials receive a ‘rationale’ that explains why placebos are effective; the rationales are based on a 15-minute 4-point discussion between the researcher/provider and participant. However, no research has systematically examined what types of rationales for OLPs promote the most symptom relief. An optimized open-label placebo rationale for chronic pain has the potential to greatly improve OLP efficacy. Participants (n=30) in the proposed project will be chronic pain patients who use opioids. They will be told to take 2 OLPs daily for 21 days. However, the OLP rationale will be manipulated, such that participants will be block randomized to one of three rationale conditions: a) standard rationale condition, where the placebo rationale is adapted heavily from prior OLP studies, b) mindfulness rationale condition, where participants are told to imagine the placebos dissolving their pain, and c) suspension of disbelief rationale condition, where participants are encouraged to keep an open mind about OLP efficacy. Participants will be recruited using Curavit, an agency devoted to online clinical trials recruitment. Assessments will occur at baseline, mid-point (11 days after OLP use), and follow-up (at the very end of OLP on day 21). At follow-up, participants will also complete a 15-minute qualitative one-on-one interview to examine attitudes towards the study procedures, with a focus on the OLP rationale. The study will be strictly remote, using phone and/or teleconferencing technology. Aim 1 will be to test feasibility by examining OLP adherence. Aim 2 will be to examine placebo attitudes by examining responses to the qualitative interviews. Aim 3 will be to test preliminary effectiveness by examining actual and perceived change in opioid use and pain levels.