My own AH is 'functioning' although I too, dont like the term. Yes he functions, in that he works hard, cooks and cleans the home. It is due to this level of 'functioning' that I have questioned many times whether he is an alcohol or just a problem drinker. My AH doesn't function very well when it comes to having meaningful relationships with his wife and children and would choose alcohol before a 22 year marriage and is definitely not functioning in the emotional sense at all.
It is sad, that I have slowly gotten used to the lying, denying, evading the subject and verbal abuse that has developed over the past 22 years of marriage due to alcoholism, so that it has become a 'normal' way of life to me and somewhat acceptable.
Best use of that phrase I've seen to date was here on SR. Functional is a stage of alcoholism
I do agree with this but My AFIL who had lived on his own for the past 30 years still managed to 'function' as a hard worker, right up until his death from a stroke at the age of 65. He left behind an apartment filled with empty whiskey bottles and medication he had failed to take which looked like a tramps house. I fear that my husband (his son) has inherited the same gene - for working hard but failing miserably in life matters.
My personal opinion is that there are many millions of 'functioning' alcoholics who stay under the radar today as society in the main, sees alcoholics as tramps, living on the street.
I also think that times are a changing with many 'celebrities' being open about there demons. It wasn't that long ago that celebrities wouldn't admit they were gay due to potentially wrecking their careers and now they are quite often blase about having problems with alcohol and doing rehab. Elton John and Robbie Williams are just two who have spoken about staying sober. There are also far more documentaries on TV these days about addictions. The tide, I feel is definitely turning and alcoholism will be less of a derogatory term and more of a world wide epidemic that needs addressing.