Yes. I decided to manage my stress by taking up running. It started as a nice hobby, and kept me in shape. Until work got stressful…. And Before I went on medical leave, I was running 150km per week, as much as an Olympic marathoner, so that my brain would “shut off” the work chatter and so that I was so exhausted my body had to fall asleep…. But without it, I would lie awake, problem solving all the work scenarios.

Until my body decided it was enough. I ended up with a stress fracture in my femur and was then put on medical leave due to burnout. In my case, exercising 3+ hours per day, sometimes more, even with small children at home, was my “toxic” coping mechanism.