Gooning and Gen Z: Understanding a Sexual Practice That's Confusing Everyone Over 30

There's a term that keeps appearing in conversations about Gen Z sexuality that leaves older generations confused: gooning.

If you're unfamiliar, gooning refers to a practice of extended masturbation sessions—often lasting hours—focused on maintaining a state of intense arousal without orgasm. The term comes from the idea of being in a "goon" state: mentally altered, almost trance-like, completely absorbed in pleasure and stimulation.

For people over 30, this concept is baffling. Masturbation was traditionally understood as a quick release of sexual tension, not an hours-long meditative practice. The idea of deliberately avoiding orgasm while masturbating for extended periods seems contradictory to the entire point.

But for segments of Gen Z, gooning has become a recognizable practice—discussed openly on social media, referenced in memes, treated as a valid form of sexual expression rather than something shameful or concerning.

This generational divide in understanding gooning reveals interesting differences in how generations think about sexuality, pleasure, performance, and what constitutes healthy sexual expression. This isn't about judging whether gooning is good or bad—it's about understanding why it's emerged now and what it tells us about changing sexual culture.

What Gooning Actually Is

Gooning typically involves several key elements that distinguish it from traditional masturbation.

Extended duration. Gooning sessions can last anywhere from an hour to many hours. Some practitioners describe sessions of 6-8 hours or longer. The focus is on sustaining the experience rather than reaching conclusion quickly.

Edging as the core practice. Gooning relies on edging—bringing yourself close to orgasm repeatedly without going over. This creates cycles of intense arousal that some people find more pleasurable than orgasm itself.

Absorption and altered states. Practitioners describe entering a "goon state" where

they're completely absorbed in sensation and arousal, losing track of time, experiencing something like a meditative or trance state. This mental alteration is part of the appeal.

Heavy use of visual content. Gooning typically involves consuming large amounts of pornographic content—often many videos or images simultaneously, switching between them rapidly, creating intense sensory stimulation.

Solo practice. Unlike edging in partnered sex, gooning is typically a solo activity. It's about personal pleasure and the specific mental state, not about shared experience.

Community and culture. Online communities exist around gooning where practitioners discuss techniques, share content, describe experiences, and validate each other's practice. This community aspect is significant—it transforms a private activity into a shared cultural practice.

For people who don't practice gooning, this description might sound concerning or compulsive. But for practitioners, it's a deliberate choice about how they experience pleasure—more similar to how someone might describe an intense meditation session than a compulsive behavior.

Why Gen Z Specifically?

Gooning isn't exclusively a Gen Z practice, but it's disproportionately associated with younger people. Understanding why requires looking at several generational factors.

Unlimited access to sexual content. Gen Z is the first generation to grow up with unlimited high-speed internet access to pornographic content from early adolescence. Previous generations had to seek out content; Gen Z had it readily available. This changes the relationship to sexual content fundamentally.

Delayed physical relationships. Gen Z is having less partnered sex and forming relationships later than previous generations. Some of this is economic (living with parents longer, financial instability), some cultural (different relationship patterns, anxiety about intimacy). This means more years of solo sexuality before partnered experiences.

Performance anxiety is intense. Between pornography creating unrealistic expectations, social media increasing comparison, and broader cultural anxiety, many Gen Z individuals experience significant performance pressure around partnered sex. Solo sexuality offers pleasure without performance pressure.

Mindfulness and extended practices are normalized. Gen Z grew up with meditation apps, mindfulness practices, and the idea that extended, focused practices can alter consciousness and provide benefits. Gooning fits this framework—it's an extended, focused practice that creates an altered state.

Openly discussing sexuality is more acceptable. Gen Z talks more openly about sexuality, including practices that previous generations kept private. This visibility makes gooning seem more normal and accessible than it would be if it remained completely hidden.

The pandemic accelerated solo practices. COVID lockdowns meant extended periods with limited social contact and partnered intimacy. Many people developed more elaborate solo sexual practices during this time, and gooning was one pattern that emerged and persisted.

The Psychology Behind Extended Arousal

Understanding why someone would deliberately extend arousal for hours requires looking at what's happening psychologically and neurologically.

Dopamine and the pleasure plateau. Orgasm involves a sharp spike and drop in dopamine. Sustained arousal without orgasm creates a prolonged elevated dopamine state—not as intense as orgasm but sustainable for much longer. Some people find this sustained state more pleasurable than the brief spike and crash.

Altered consciousness appeals. The "goon state" that practitioners describe is a form of altered consciousness—similar to flow states, meditative absorption, or even psychedelic experiences in some descriptions. For people drawn to altered states, this is part of the appeal.

Control and mastery. Deliberately controlling arousal—bringing yourself to the edge repeatedly without going over—requires skill and self-awareness. Some people find this mastery satisfying in itself.

Escape from other mental states. Extended arousal can crowd out anxiety, depression, or other uncomfortable mental states. The intense focus required creates temporary relief from other psychological discomfort. This can be both beneficial (temporary stress relief) and concerning (avoidance of addressing underlying issues).

Novel sensations in familiar practices. Masturbation can become routine. Gooning introduces novelty and intensity into a familiar activity, which makes it more engaging and pleasurable.

When Gooning Becomes Concerning

Like many sexual practices, gooning exists on a spectrum from healthy exploration to compulsive behavior that interferes with life functioning.

Time displacement is a key indicator. If gooning sessions regularly prevent someone from attending to responsibilities, maintaining relationships, or engaging in other important activities, that's concerning. A few hours occasionally is different from regularly canceling commitments to goon.

Escalation patterns matter. If someone needs increasingly extreme content, longer sessions, or more frequent practice to achieve the same state, that suggests developing tolerance similar to substance dependence. This escalation pattern indicates potential problem behavior.

Impact on partnered sexuality is significant. If gooning makes partnered sex unsatisfying or difficult—either because arousal patterns have become conditioned to solo practices or because interest in partnered sex has diminished—that affects relationship health.

Psychological dependence is concerning. If gooning becomes the primary way someone manages stress, anxiety, or uncomfortable emotions—if it's the go-to coping mechanism for any difficult feeling—that suggests psychological dependence.

Physical consequences matter. Extended masturbation sessions can cause physical issues—chafing, desensitization, exhaustion. If someone continues despite physical discomfort or injury, that indicates compulsive behavior.

The line between enthusiastic practice and compulsive behavior isn't always clear, but generally: if gooning enhances your life without displacing important activities or relationships, it's probably fine. If it's interfering with life functioning or you feel unable to moderate despite wanting to, that's concerning.

The Generational Disconnect

The disconnect between Gen Z and older generations around gooning reveals different frameworks for thinking about sexuality.

Older generations tend to view sexuality as primarily relational. Sex is something that happens between people. Solo sexuality is acknowledged but seen as secondary to partnered experiences. Extended solo practices seem like avoiding "real" sexuality.

Gen Z is more comfortable with solo sexuality as valid. Growing up with readily available sexual content and delayed partnered relationships means many Gen Z individuals developed rich solo sexual lives before partnered experiences. They don't necessarily see partnered sex as more "real" or valuable than solo practices.

Previous generations saw efficiency as normal. For older generations, masturbation was typically quick—a tension release, not an extended practice. The idea of spending hours on solo sexuality seems inefficient or compulsive.

Gen Z has different relationships with time and efficiency. Having grown up with streaming content, social media scrolling, and practices like binge-watching, extended absorption in a single activity is more normalized. Hours spent gooning doesn't seem more unusual than hours spent on TikTok.

Older generations worry about pornography's effects. People over 30 often express concern about pornography consumption, seeing it as potentially harmful or addictive. Gooning's heavy reliance on pornographic content triggers these concerns.

Gen Z has more nuanced views on pornography. While aware of potential issues, many Gen Z individuals see pornography as a normal part of sexual life. They distinguish between healthy consumption and problematic patterns rather than seeing all pornography use as concerning.

What Gooning Reveals About Changing Sexuality

Whether or not you think gooning is healthy, its emergence and popularity among younger people reveals broader patterns in sexual culture.

Solo sexuality is increasingly elaborate. Previous generations treated masturbation as simple and quick. Younger generations have developed complex, extended solo sexual practices that involve technique, community knowledge, and significant time investment.

Sexual practices are increasingly community-defined. Gooning exists in part because online communities discuss it, validate it, share techniques, and create culture around it. This transforms private behavior into shared practice.

Altered states are increasingly valued. From meditation to flow states to gooning, there's cultural interest in practices that alter consciousness, create absorption, and provide escape from ordinary mental states.

Performance pressure drives solo preferences. When partnered sex feels pressured, performative, and anxiety-inducing, solo sexuality that allows for exploration without judgment becomes more appealing.

Technology enables and shapes practices. Gooning as it currently exists requires high-speed internet and abundant streaming content. The practice is shaped by technological affordances in ways that previous generations' sexual practices weren't.

Implications for Couples and Relationships

For couples where one or both partners practice gooning, this can create relationship dynamics that require navigation.

Solo practices affecting partnered sex. If one partner regularly engages in extended gooning sessions, it may affect their interest in or response to partnered sexuality. This doesn't make gooning wrong, but it does require honest conversation about sexual needs and relationship priorities.

Time and attention concerns. Hours spent gooning is time not spent on the relationship. For some couples this is fine—people have various solo hobbies and interests. For others, it creates resentment or feelings of neglect.

Different arousal patterns. Gooning conditions arousal to specific patterns—extended stimulation, edging, particular types of content. This can make the relatively brief arousal cycles of partnered sex less satisfying by comparison. Couples need to discuss how to bridge this gap.

Honesty and boundaries. Some people feel their gooning practice should be completely private. Others want to share with partners. Both approaches can work, but require agreement and mutual comfort with boundaries.

Mutual understanding. Partners who don't practice gooning often struggle to understand its appeal. Taking time to genuinely understand why your partner finds this practice valuable—without judgment—helps maintain connection even when you don't share the interest.

Moving Forward: Understanding Without Judging

Gooning is going to continue being discussed and practiced, particularly among younger people. For individuals and couples navigating this, several principles help.

Distinguish between preference and problem. If gooning is an enjoyable practice that doesn't interfere with life functioning or relationships, it's a sexual preference. If it's interfering or feels compulsive, it's a problem worth addressing.

Be honest about impacts. If you practice gooning, be honest with yourself and any partners about how much time it takes and whether it's affecting other areas of your sexuality or life. If it's not having negative impacts, own that it's a valid practice. If it is, acknowledge that and consider changes.

Communicate about partnered sex. If you're in a relationship, have honest conversations about how solo practices (gooning or otherwise) interact with partnered sexuality. What needs are being met solo versus together? Are both partners satisfied with the sexual relationship? Are adjustments needed?

Respect generational differences. Older generations finding gooning strange doesn't make it wrong. Younger generations normalizing it doesn't automatically make it healthy. Different frameworks for understanding sexuality can coexist.

Watch for signs of compulsion. Escalation, inability to stop despite wanting to, displacement of important activities, continued practice despite negative consequences—these indicate behavior that's moved beyond preference into compulsion.

Ultimately, gooning is one more example of how sexual practices evolve with culture and technology. Understanding it—even if you don't practice or approve of it—helps navigate an increasingly diverse sexual landscape where people express sexuality in varied ways.

Ready to Explore Partnered Connection?

Download the Coelle App to access guided experiences designed for couples to deepen presence and connection in ways that complement rather than compete with solo practices.

Read "Guided: Why We All Need a Guide in the Bedroom" to understand how couples can maintain intimate connection in an era of diverse sexual interests and practices.