By Outer Banks Health

Stress is part of life, no matter who you are, stress is a normal part of being human. Feeling stressed is our automatic physical, mental, and emotional reaction to a challenging event. Doing so helps us adjust to new situations by impacting our heart rate, breathing, and vision, which makes us more alert and motivated.

Stress can have a negative effect…For this reason, it is important to keep our response to stress in check in order to protect our overall well-being.

“Our bodies give us a lot of warning signs when we’re becoming overly stressed,” says Janet Creef, licensed clinical social worker with Outer Banks Health Cancer Services. “A few of those are unexplained chest pain, racing heart, trouble sleeping, dizziness, high blood pressure, digestive challenges, mood swings, depression, anxiety, and panic attacks.” Creef also noted that chronic stress can weaken our immune system, which opens the door for other illnesses.

More »

Beginning on May 25, the Dare County Department of Health & Human Services’ ROSS program (Recovery Overdose Support Services) will be hosting a weekly recovery group on Thursday afternoons at the Community Care Clinic in Nags Head. Full story

We are proud to announce beginning on June 14th, the Grief Support Group will meet at the Virginia S. Tillett Community Center in Manteo. Full story

By Kip Tabb | Outer Banks Voice
Following the April 11 meeting of the Manteo Healthcare Task Force, members toured what will be the county’s first FQHC (Federally Qualified Health Center) at 402 Budleigh Street in Manteo. Full story

This op-ed piece was submitted to the Voice by the Saving Lives Task Force. In 2013, North Carolina enacted a Good Samaritan Law to encourage people to call 911 in a drug- or alcohol-related medical emergency. Today, in the midst of the worst opioid epidemic our nation has ever seen, we are calling on legislators to update our Good Samaritan Law to ensure it meets the needs of our current reality. Full story

Protections would cover everyone at scene of overdose, include fentanyl possession By Corinne Saunders | Outer Banks Voice A bipartisan bill introduced in the North Carolina Senate on April 3 would update the state’s 2013 Good Samaritan Law, broadening protections for people experiencing an overdose and people who in good faith seek medical help for those experiencing a drug overdose. Full story

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month and the Dare County Department of Health and Human Services (DCDHHS) and the Children & Youth Partnership for Dare County (CYP) are working together to spread awareness and encourage all community members to be partners in prevention. Full story

Addiction and recovery is a matter that touches so many in our community. The Dare County Library is pleased to announce a greatly expanded selection of books for individuals and families on these subjects. Full story

Efforts to address mental health, substance use include the faith community By Corinne Saunders  | Outer Banks Voice An event this week underscored a significant change that has taken place locally in recent years. Full story

By Mark Jurkowitz  | Outer Banks Voice
Local officials on the frontlines of the fight against the opioid epidemic welcomed the March 29 announcement that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Narcan, 4 milligram (mg) naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray, for use without a prescription. Full story

By Mark Jurkowitz | Outer Banks Voice In July 2022, Outer Banks Hospital President Ronnie Sloan announced plans to renovate the property housing the Outer Banks Family Medical Practice in Manteo and to build a 2,500- square-foot addition adjacent to that building in order to eventually incorporate more medical staff. Full story

As part of its continuing efforts to combat the use and spread of dangerous drugs, the Dare County Department of Health and Human Services (DCDHHS) is launching a “Fentanyl Kills” public education campaign and seeking partners to help spread that message. Full story

Returning home after experiencing a health issue with your heart or lungs can be scary. As you recover from treatments and/or procedures, you may feel anxious about a medical team not being there with you. Full story

There’s a new program available to the Outer Banks recovery community called SMART Recovery. Full story

By Kip Tabb | Outer Banks Voice At the Feb. 6 county commissioners’ meeting, by a vote of 5-1, Dare County became the first county in the state to adopt a resolution formally asking the North Carolina General Assembly to raise the age of tobacco sales to 21. Full story