As far as labels are concerned, I don't even like using the term "alcoholic" anymore. Useful as shorthand, I guess, but too simplistic for me.
Minni, all they are is shorthand - it's our culture that tries to use them to define whole people. Diagnostic labels exist so that information, research, treatments can be discussed and shared. You're using it in the best possible way. In my opinion the worst possible way is when they are used as more than that.
Now we're in more peaceful times (in our house) sometimes I feel like I wish D had managed to get assessed properly, I wish I had a label for what happened. I know what I think but always feel like I can't say it because it wasn't identified, he didn't get assessed. I don't want a label for him, he has a name already and I like it - I want a label for what happened, I want to talk about it, I want the shorthand, I want to be able to access the right research. We lived through 'something', the labels given don't cover that 'something', they don't cover why it all kicked off at once, they're not confirmed.
In short labelling people I hate! Labelling what happens to people so we can share information, learn and understand better, I'm all for that.