Drunk Mom explores new mother's lapse into alcoholism

Writer Jowita Bydlowska explores a surprising story of addiction with her memoir Drunk Mom, which recounts a new mother's relapse into alcoholism.

Amid the emotional tumult of giving birth to her first child and suffering from post-partum depression, Bydlowska found herself drawn back to drinking, a problem she'd had in the past but overcome for several years. She describesthe binges and blackouts, lying to others as well as to herself.

Originally, the Polish-born writer had intended to tell her story as a novel, but then felt that choosing fiction suggested she was in denial about her substance abuse.

"If I put a face to addiction, literally my own face...that makes it more real," she told CBC News.

"Hopefully, you know, that will be something that will speak to people. Certainly, it's made me feel very vulnerable. It made me question my decision to do it. But ultimately, I think it's very very important to put more exposure [on] addiction."

Bydlowska talks to CBC's Deana Sumanac about struggling against self-censorship with her controversial tale, what she hopes her son will think when he's older and society's pressure on young mothers to be perfect.