misscookie, I have said it (in AA meetings), and it didn't blow my mind as a massive untruth, but didn't feel quite right either; but if you were to ask me to say what I really believe I would say I have an alcohol problem; or perhaps that I have historical mental health problems which I've attempted to self medicate with alcohol long term, with the result of an alcohol problem.
I don't feel right saying I am alcoholic, because I am not physically addicted, and because when I stop I don't need physical support to manage withdrawal. this might be a very precise and self serving definition though and perhaps I am in denial ;) I guess I think the real reason is that I honestly believe (not that this is a remotely useful distinction) that my mental health / emotional problems came first, and the alcohol abuse came second. It doesn't stop it being alcohol abuse, but had my other problems been treated / treatable, I don't think I would have got to this with alcohol. Irrelevant now - because here I am.
If you can't say it, I guess you can't share in AA, and that may or may not be a problem for you. I went through go through a real process with AA (a bit like my process with the church) where I oscillate between noticing everything that is arrogant, unsophisticated, not subtle enough, not delicate enough, not philosophically perfect enough; and saying "sod it, I can still see all that, but it will do me good and I'm going".