Emotional outsourcing doesn’t announce itself.
It blends into daily life — into small, ordinary moments we often mistake for connection, support, or coping.
It isn’t loud or dramatic. It feels normal — until a pattern begins to emerge.
A teen today can feel calm — as long as someone else is holding it.
A text comes in.
A friend responds.
A parent reassures.
A screen distracts.
Relief arrives — but it isn’t owned.
More teens are learning how to borrow calm, without ever
