Galentine’s has become a widely celebrated holiday for friends, whether you have a significant other or not, and is not even isolated to the female-identifying. And guess what? It’s more than an excuse to party in pink; it’s an evidence-backed intervention for mental, emotional, and even physical health.

There are certain people we simply can’t avoid. Family members we love but who drain us, colleagues we respect but who test the limit of what feels appropriate, or childhood friends who manage to suck the energy all these years later. Rowena Montemayor on navigating relationships you can’t just walk away from.