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My specialty was addictions. You have no idea what you're talking about.
eta: that sounds bitchy. It's closer to a compulsive behavior that it is an addictive syndrome. There is more to addiction than a psychological drive to consume. Notably it requires a negative impact on social functioning along with a bunch of other criteria.
So by that interpretation, a high functioning alcoholic is not an addict?
"High functioning" is typically used to describe someone who is demonstrating competency at work. Academia, law, and medicine are full of these types. I've worked for/with a lot of them.
Home and social interactions definitely show the strain before professional life does. It's possible for an alcoholic to function at very high levels professionally for years, but I can guarantee there are social impacts in their personal domain. Their old friendships erode, and change towards other heavy users. There are impacts in spouses and children. Their driving record may become affected, financial strains etc.
I'm confused. To me it sounds like social impacts are the results of an addiction, not part of the addiction itself. I would have thought it's the addiction to a substance that drives changes in behaviour and results in the symptoms you describe - impacts to family, friendships, social standing. Whereas you're saying that a body's compulsive wanting for a specific substance is not an addiction if it doesn't come with those social impacts. That just doesn't sound logical to me, but hey, I'm not an expert.