[cbsks]

Before kids I had an active social life that could definitely be construed as a “drinking problem”. I’d argue that the benefits to my social life outweighed the harm to my health. IMHO, “problem” drinking is defined as the inability to stop drinking, i.e. a true addiction.

[burkaman]

If you are regularly in social situations where you feel you can't participate without having several drinks, you have a drinking problem. It's still a problem even if it's driven by external pressure rather than an addiction.

[cnity]

By this definition, people who embrace high levels of alcohol consumption despite their obvious effects don't have a drinking problem, which seems a bit tentative to me. I would say someone like George Best very much had a drinking problem.