Welcome to the Injection Age
The article discusses the increasing trend of injection-based medications among Americans, marking a shift from oral medications to injections. This trend has seen a significant rise in the use of GLP-1 shots for weight loss and other injectable treatments. Despite the growing popularity, many people still experience a natural fear of needles, which contrasts with the current injection culture.
- ▪The use of injected medications has surged in the past five years, with millions of Americans now using GLP-1 shots.
- ▪In 2025, 12 percent of U.S. adults were reported to be using injections for various treatments.
- ▪The rise of medical spas offering a variety of injection services reflects the growing acceptance of this trend.
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HealthWelcome to the Injection AgeAmericans’ enthusiasm for sticking themselves with needles has never been higher.By Daniel EngberIllustration by Alisa Gao / The Atlantic. Sources: Elena Kabenkina / Getty; Valerii Kosovskyi / GettyMay 26, 2026, 8:43 AM ET ShareSave My generation—which is to say, the pillbox generation—came of age during the 1990s. The number of adults who were taking five or more prescription drugs doubled in that decade; the use of medications for depression and cholesterol more than tripled. If pills had once been used from time to time to curb a headache or stifle an infection, now they were a daily ritual for tens of millions of Americans.
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