i am having problems vs i am dying of thirst (both questions in el presente)

Hola Elizabeth

If you see the answer given to David 3 months ago in this thread who had the same question about "morir de sed", you can see that both the continuous present and the present simple could be used, but the hint is saying "Conjugate in El Presente" because it is a question that wants to test students on conjugation of the verb morir in el presente and its irregularities. 

I understand that seeing the English in this particular question using "am dying of thirst" might make you want to answer in the continuous tense in Spanish if you don't read the hint - but the reason we translate it like that in English is because if we say "I die of thirst" this would sound very odd, not natural. 

The same goes for when you want to say "I am having problems" - in Spanish you could say:

"Estoy teniendo problemas" or "Tengo problemas"

both referring to something that is happening at the time of speaking. But in English, if I am not wrong, the use of the simple present wouldn't refer to something happening at the moment of speaking: I have problems. ??

I hope this clarified it.

Saludos

Inma