Portland Central student Amber Hayes wins ABC Heywire award

Body dysmorphic disorder is a mental health disorder in which you can't stop thinking about one or more perceived defects or flaws in your appearance, a flaw that appears minor or can't be seen by others.

Amber said she originally didn't want to write about her disorder but her English teacher Ms Yeo encouraged her to put her story on paper and let everything out.

"It was really personal and I only wanted her to read it but she said it was really good and I should enter it because there was always the opportunity to say no to getting it published if I didn't want it out there," she said.

Amber then got the call that she had won.

"It was really hard at first going from someone stuck in her room to telling people," she said.

"I laid down at night and thought about what I should do and I decided that it could potentially inspire girls who are in similar situations, I just hoped it would benefit other people so that was really the only reason I wanted to tell people."

Amber said it took around six months to fully wrap her head around the win.

"I was surprised because I got told I was in the top two of the region and then about three weeks later they told me I had won and I just thought 'holy crap', I was not expecting this," she said.

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Amber said when writing the piece she just 'blurted out' all her feelings.

"I didn't edit it a lot so when I got the call I was happy and surprised," she said.

"I hadn't told my parents I was entering, that was how much I didn't want to do it but I told them I won and they were super proud and made a pretty big deal about it."

In Amber's work she talks about how her horse Red has helped her through her challenges.

"I've been horse riding since I was two years old so it's been a lifelong journey, but Red only came into the picture four years ago," she said.

"My previous horses and I just never clicked, you have to have a connection with them and I know Red isn't going to hurt me.

"He [Red] has wounds and scars and has a cancer under the skin, he isn't perfect either, but we are on the same mind level and just click."

Amber said that her advice to girls who are also going through body dysmorphic disorder would be to reach out for help.

"It is the best decision because at the time you feel like it is the end of the world, but talking to somebody helps and makes you feel better," she said.

"It makes you happy, it really does and I would say fight it because it can overtake you and then you let it win.

"Everyday won't be good, you are going to have bad days but you'll feel better for reaching out.

"If it wasn't for my Mum I would still be in the same situation I was."

If you would like to read Amber's submission you can do so here.

If you need help or support for an eating disorder or body image issue, please call Butterfly's National Helpline on 1800 334 673 or e-mail support@butterfly.org.au