Life's a Twitch - Dr. B. Duncan McKinlay (Profiles -- The Chronicle-Herald)!

Monday, October 27, 2003: "Suffering ceases to be suffering when it finds meaning." Dr. Duncan McKinlay often quotes this line by Viktor Frankl -- and seems to live his life by it as well.

Dr. McKinlay, 29, an Ontario native, is a world expert on disinhibition disorders, but he's also a man who has lived with Tourette's.

But his suffering ended about five years ago, when he realized that he had the ability to make a difference through public awareness.

"Yes, I still have tics," he said through twitches and grunts. "But I'm a doctor, so I don't really have a disorder, as far as I'm concerned."

Dr. McKinlay spent the weekend in Bridgewater, explaining to the public how people with Tourette's, attention deficit disorder and other learning disabilities see the world differently from people he referes to as "normies."

The community symposium, called Life's a Twitch, was organized by Pathways Community Association to promote awareness of the disorders and their accompanying problems.

Parents and educators from across the privince took in the lectures, and Dr. McKinlay says this is crucial.

"Oftentimes the biggest problems that occur with these disorders aren't caused by the disorders themselves," he said. "It's the perceptions about it by others and even the individual that cause problems."

He calls the process "vicarious healing" for himself because he wasn't diagnosed until adulthood. Through research, his Web site and seminars, he has reached out to many people.

"Thank you for this gift from God," one mother told an organizer, saying she finally understood what her son might be dealing with and how to help.

These are comments that are still a bit overwhelming to Dr. McKinlay, but he is starting to get used to it after conducting more than 200 workshops.

"I certainly wasn't planning for an of this to happen, but no one else was doing it, so I guess it was up to me," he said of his work.

"Besides, I wouldn't wish the first 19 years of my life on anyone, so if what I do helps, then that is what I have to do."

The workshops continue this afternoon at Parkview Education Centre.

rstevens1@ns.sprint.ca

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