How much alcohol consumption causes physical dependance and withdrawal? i drink beer on weekends but not through the week. trying to be proactive

See below: It is good that you are being proactive about your health. The alcohol amount that each person can "handle" differs. Instead of using absolute amounts, it is better to focus on consequences - if alcohol use is creating adverse consequences for you or others are starting to point this out to you, it is too much and/or too frequent.

Binge drinking: Qs about "normal drinking, abuse, and dependencec are common. For men, generally safe drinking on any regular basis is probably no > 2 standard drinks per day, and maybe 1 for a female. A binge is usually considered 5 or more in an episode, >4-5 binges/month is probably alcohol abuse. See this page for more on abuse vs dependence: http://cpancf.Com/alcoholanddrugtreatmentservices.Asp.