The HFA label makes us feel better inside early in sobriety (to deal with our shame).
The HFA label also gives us an excuse to relapse (as in "I'm not as bad as ____")
The HFA label is helpful as it explains why our family and friends do not think that we are alcoholics and, frankly, offer us very little support initially when we tell them we are alcoholic.
The HFA label is bad as it allows us to think that we are somehow different from other alcoholics.
Today, I am just an alcoholic. But, it took me about a year before I could drop the HFA label.
It has already been said on this thread, but I love the quote "I used to think that HFA was a type of alcoholic, but now I know that it is just a stage of alcoholism."