Abstract

Violence is a public health risk and important concern for stakeholders in disaster-vulnerable Gulf region of the United States. Disaster-prone communities like New Orleans have recorded a higher rate of violence (violent and property crime) and this experience is potentially becoming a ‘new normal’ for the residents and the community as a whole. The concept of new normal in individual and community resilience is an important subject in recovery from disasters and adverse events. This paper reviews various factors which can help individuals and community to bounce back from traumatic events and also evaluates the mental states that adversely affect the general condition and psyche of the affected people post-disasters. While there are no formulas that can relieve the stress and adverse impact of violence and trauma, the paper tries to highlight the important positive mental states and attitudes that may help in dealing effectively with post-disaster grief feelings and bouncing back from adversities.

Key words: Disaster, traumatic, new-normal, bounce-back, New Orleans, resilience, positive mentality, victims, affected people, violence.