Phobia Realized: Woman Seeking to Overcome Fear of Primates Is Attacked on “Monkey Island”

Dee Darwell, 56, had a lifelong fear of primates due to the British woman being raised in a house with her father’s chimpanzee pet — which she described as “positively evil.” Darwell finally decided to overcome her phobia by going to Thailand to visit “Monkey Island” — where she was promptly attacked by monkeys and repeatedly bitten.

Darwell had just arrived on the island when she sat down on a rock and was immediately set upon by an angry Macacque monkey who was soon joined by other members of the pack. Darwell was bitten on the arm and had to be rescued by Thai boatmen in the area.

The first monkey would not let go of her arm until a man intervened, but then a larger monkey bit her on the same arm. Soon monkeys were grabbing her arms and legs — leaving her with bruises over her body.

I am not a psychiatrist but I would have to put this down as an unsuccessful therapeutic experience. Notably, Darwell did even try to make to the advance therapy stage of dealing with the flying monkeys:

This reminds me of the story of the man who spent his lifetime being treated for paranoia until he was cured when he learned everyone really was out to get him.

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