Google search data shows that interest in “gooning” — a prolonged act of self-pleasure involving delayed climax — has surged in recent years.
The trend gained such significant traction between November and December 2025 that adult content sites identified it as the “obsession of the year” for 2026.
However, medical experts have raised concerns that excessive engagement could contribute to compulsive behaviors, leading to challenges during partnered intimacy.
“Your brain is undoubtedly becoming more habituated to that behavior, and the more often it’s repeated, the more likely you are to struggle to stop and enjoy other activities,” said Dr. Paula Hall of the nonprofit online therapy program Pivotal Recovery.
The growing fascination with “gooning” has sparked concerns among experts
Searches for “gooning” spiked by 778 percent over the past five years, according to Google data, with the term looked up more than a million times in the last couple of months of last year alone.
Gooning sessions can last anywhere from an hour to marathons of seven or more hours, according to online forums where practitioners, known as “gooners,” share their experiences.
The Daily Mail asked medical professionals to weigh in on the trend in January 2025, and they had nothing positive to share.
Dr. Richard Viney, a consultant urological surgeon at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, said that while the concept of delaying pleasure to achieve an enhanced experience is an “understandable holy grail,” there is no evidence that it works.
“It could, in fact, lead to problems in the bedroom,” he said.
Hypothesizing that gooners rely on explicit media to stimulate themselves, he said they are essentially training themselves to become aroused only while viewing it.
“Relying heavily on p**nography can desensitize the individual to real encounters, increasing the risk of erectile dysfunction when engaging with a partner,” he warned.
“This can then lead to anxiety, making the issue more embedded.”
Dr. Hall echoed the sentiment in her own statement, while listing additional adverse effects of the practice.
“Doing it five or six hours every day of the week is unlikely to be beneficial,” she noted.
“Regrettably, there’s lots of evidence that, over time, compulsive p**nography use begins to harm other areas of life, including relationships, work, friendships, finances, and general mental health and wellbeing, especially when someone’s using it to escape stress and depression.”
Gooning was not the only intimate trend to go up in the last five years
“Femboy” — referring to men or non-binary individuals who present themselves in a feminine way — saw a 504 percent spike in searches.
“Thirst trap,” which involves posting enticing content on social media to attract attention or validation, increased by 335 percent.
@haleyybayleeabsolutely not♬ som original – 🪩
“Throuple,” referring to a relationship involving three people, was searched 230 percent more.
At the same time, records for “Findom” (where a person gains pleasure from controlling another’s finances), “P*gging” (a practice in which a woman wears a toy emulating the male part), and “Vore” (a fantasy involving being consumed) went up by 83, 30, and 26 percent, respectively.
The rise in these trends coincided with increased scrutiny of the adult entertainment industry.
Age verification laws, which typically require personal data like a government ID or a facial scan to view X-rated content, were enacted in half of the U.S. states, including Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, North Carolina, Kansas, Missouri, and more, between January 2023 and July 2026.
In the UK and France, similar laws came into force in June and July 2025, respectively.
Social media reactions to the popularity of the trend remained divided
“It does not harm anyone but the prudish,” one said, while another agreed, saying, “Let people live. This is a free society.”
“Gooner and proud,” remarked a third.
A fourth, who did not agree with the practice gaining momentum, said, “It will work only for those who do not desire serious relationships.”
Some expressed disbelief over the name and the statistics themselves.
“The latest trend seems to be coming up with stupid terms for things that are already well-understood,” one said.
“This figure is completely made up,” asserted another.
Additionally, fans of the soccer team Arsenal were trolled intensely because their fandom name is also “Gooners.”
“I always thought Arsenal fans were strange,” a user commented.
“Arsenal fans must be really happy about this,” quipped the next.
Netizens kept debating the pros and cons of the practice
