I think it's true to the extent that your drinking problem might not be recognised and called out as such. An awful lot of high functioning alcoholics slip through the cracks because they don't fit the same patterns as others who have more obvious impacts of alcohol showing in their lives. It's easier to overlook and/or deny if it's not wrecking your life openly. The problem is, you only remain "high functioning" until you can't--like that guy who was "a friend of bears" till they turned around and ate him.