Articles written by Melissa A.F.

What is Helium

About me - Melissa A.F.

My first ambition was to be a writer, and I have been writing consistently since I was in the first grade. I hold a B.A. in Journalism with a concentration in writing and a minor in English Writing. I also hold a M.S. in Human Services. I love all types of

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Religion & Spirituality > Spiritual Life Is suicide an unforgiveable sin?: 2 of 68
I seriously think that unless someone is a suicide survivor that they should not be able to voice their opinion on suicide without a disclaimer stamped on their forehead proclaiming "Caution: This person is not a suicide survivor and therefore should not be opening their uneducated mouth". This may sound a little harsh, but a... More..
Creative Writing > Essays Essays: Why I write: 11 of 254
I have been writing on and off my whole life. My first ambition was to be an author and it is an ambition I have gone back and forth with, kind of like that boyfriend you just can't say goodbye to. While I have taken breaks from writing or put my dreams of getting published on hold multiple times throughout my life, I continu... More..
Relationships & Family > Grief & Loss What to do when someone dies and there was no time for good-byes: 6 of 127
So often we take our loved ones for granted. It is easy to do. They are there for us on a daily basis and in the course of our everyday life it is uncommon to think that they will leave us suddenly. We may not think about it everyday, but it happens to someone everyday. I should know. My father left his earth as I was enter... More..
Creative Writing > Memoirs Testimonies: Meeting celebrities: 2 of 38
When I was in the 6th grade, I was sitting around my grandmother's kitchen table while we were waiting for our spaghetti to be ready when she nonchalantly told me the best celebrity story I have heard. She was telling me random stories from the past when I asked her if she had ever met anyone famous. She told me about meeting... More..
Creative Writing > Memoirs Testimonies: Suicide and the impact on a family: 1 of 18
I realized that I write about my father's suicide frequently. That alone to me speaks volumes about how suicide can impact a family because I was only in the first grade when he passed away. I once wrote that suicide is like the aftermath of a drop of water in a pond; the drop is the actual action but the waves the drop makes... More..
Creative Writing > Humor Humor: A trip to the dentist: 2 of 34
I can safely say that I am a dentist's dream. Yes, it's true. For as long as I can remember dental hygiene has been very important to me. You might say I am almost a little obsessed with clean teeth. While most parents had to remind and even plead with their children to brush their teeth, I was following in my mom's footsteps... More..
Relationships & Family > Grief & Loss Understanding constant pain and thoughts of suicide: 3 of 43
Those who do not experience something will never fully understand it. That is why it is the job of those who are experienced to come forward and educate the others. I fully believe that we are brought tragedy into our lives to learn a lesson and to help others from the lesson learned. While my mind has never been occupied wit... More..
Health & Fitness > Eating Disorders Teen advice: How to tell if you have an eating disorder: 2 of 27
A common mistake uneducated people make about eating disorders is thinking that someone is fine as long as they look physically healthy on the outside. That would be correct if eating disorders were a physical disease. However, eating disorders are first and foremost stem from mental issues which can then create physical prob... More..
Creative Writing > Memoirs Testimonies: My first experience of death: 1 of 13
Death played the defining moment of my early childhood when my father became a victim of suicide. He was just 37 at the time. I was a first grader, just shy of six years old. While I knew my father was sick, I was too young to understand depression or mental health so I just figured he was physically sick and would get better... More..
Relationships & Family > Grief & Loss Life support: Should the wishes of the family take precedence over the patient's right to relieve his own suffering?: 9 of 111
My mother is a nurse and has been for over 35 years. During her long career taking care of other people, she has witnessed families in their most vulnerable and heartbreaking moments. She has also witnessed patients who are suffering and families who would rather they hold on for as long as possible and delay the inevitable d... More..