Anxiety or panic attacks are characterized by an abrupt, rapid, and intense fear or discomfort. This intense fear or discomfort reaches a peak within minutes. An anxiety or panic attack includes at least four of the following symptoms:  Heart palpitations, a pounding heart, or an accelerated heart rate Sweating Trembling or shaking, especially in the extremities Shortness of breath, feeling of smothering, or difficulty getting a breath Feelings of choking Chest pain or discomfort Nausea or abdominal distress Feeling dizzy, unsteady, light-headed, or faint Chills or sensations of heat Numbness or tingling sensations Feelings of unreality or feeling detached from oneself Fear of losing control or “going crazy” Fear of dying Many of anxiety attack symptoms make people feel like they are having a heart attack or some other serious medical disorder. Because of this, they go to the emergency room or their doctor’s office. Don’t confuse the symptoms of an anxiety attack with a life-threatening emergency. Try to calm yourself down if you think you have a panic attack. If you can't modify your anxiety, it may be an underlying emergency. If you can't calm down within a few minutes, seek help. You'd rather be safe than sorry if you aren't sure. If you have suffered anxiety or panic attacks, contact your physician and get a referral to a therapist, if you don't already have one. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) has a Find a Therapist site which can help. You can also take the ADAA’s panic disorder screening test to see if you might have anxiety/panic disorder. Therapists can help you work through your triggers for your anxiety and get you to a place where you can prevent them before they happen.

Summary: Know the symptoms. Know when it’s an anxiety attack instead of a life-threatening emergency. Get a referral to a therapist.


This is usually available cheaply online and in-store.   Wash off any dirt and crumbs.

Summary: Buy special cleaning putty. Place putty on the keyboard. The putty will form its shape over the keys and seep through the cracks. Pull the putty carefully off the keyboard, so as to not break off the keys. Repeat all over the keyboard for a thorough clean.


You don’t want your child to be bullied or be a bully. Talk to your kids about bullying behavior to stop it before it starts. Go over how bullying hurts other people and makes the bully look bad. Talk about consequences of bullying, such as losing friends, getting in trouble, and risking school intervention.  Ask your children, “What would it feel like if somebody said something mean to you on Facebook?” You can also ask, “What would you do if someone said something mean about you or your friend?” This can help build critical thinking skills and increase empathy. Supervise your child’s use of Facebook and all other social media. Monitor their social media use and put into place some firm boundaries. You can put the computer in a public part of your home, only allow social media at certain times of the day, or create other rules for your child’s safety and well-being.  Don't allow your children to be on Facebook if they're under 13. Facebook's rules prevent children under 13 from having an account. If your child is being bullied on Facebook, have them delete their account, and keep them from using social media until they are older. Help them find healthy and productive ways to have fun and socialize with their peers face-to-face. Children learn best by observing those around them. Be careful how you treat people both in day-to-day living and online. Model good behaviors for your children so that they learn to respect others and not bully. Show your children how you handle difficult situations. For example, if someone says something mean to you on Facebook, show your children a mature response.

Summary: Educate your child about bullying. Set boundaries for Facebook use. Model appropriate behaviors.


Sweating is a completely normal process and an important way your body maintains a consistent temperature.  However, if you find that you sweat much more often than seems appropriate, you may have hyperhidrosis.  Hyperhidrosis causes sweating in the absence of physical activity or stress. Sweating when your body is not actively trying to regulate your body temperature is the number one symptom of hyperhidrosis. A common sign that a person suffers from hyperhidrosis is when excessive sweating begins to cause problems in your everyday life.  Many people with hyperhidrosis struggle with the issue on a daily basis.  If you find yourself needing to change your clothes throughout the day in order to hide your excessive sweating, you may suffer from hyperhidrosis. Having to do things like stuffing napkins under your arms or excusing yourself to the bathroom to wipe off excess sweat in comfortable environments is not common and may be a sign of hyperhidrosis. Primary hyperhidrosis is excess sweating that exists independently from any other medical condition.  If your body simply sweats to excess, you likely have primary hyperhidrosis.  Secondary hyperhidrosis occurs when your body is sweating excessively as a result of, or as a symptom of, another medical condition.  Primary hyperhidrosis often affects certain areas of the body that are referred to as “focal points” like armpits or hands. Secondary hyperhidrosis is often more generalized.  A common example of secondary hyperhidrosis is excessive night sweating from your entire body. It is important to determine if you are suffering from primary or secondary hyperhidrosis in order to effectively treat the condition.  You should make an appointment with your doctor to discuss your circumstances, but there are some questions you can ask yourself to help you identify which form of hyperhidrosis you seem to be suffering.  If you meet any two of the following criteria, you likely have primary hyperhidrosis.  If not, your sweating issues are likely secondary in nature.  Your sweating is fairly symmetrical (you sweat the same from each side of your body). You experience at least one episode of excessive sweating per week. Your excess sweating impairs your regular activities. Your issues with excess sweating began before the age of 25. Primary hyperhidrosis runs in your family. You do not have excessive sweat issues when you are sleeping. If you are taking an inventory of your excessive sweating symptoms and you notice some common warning signs of a significant medical issue, seek medical attention as quickly as you can.  Seek medical attention if you have a fever that reaches 104 °F (40 °C) or higher. If you experience shortness of breath, lightheadedness, or chest pain, seek treatment immediately.
Summary: Look for abnormal sweating. Take note if your sweating affects you socially. Identify primary and secondary hyperhidrosis. Determine which form of hyperhidrosis you have. Seek immediate medical attention if necessary.