a monkey on someone's back
idiom
: a problem that someone cannot easily get rid of or solve : a problem or situation that makes someone unhappy and that lasts for a long time
His drug addiction has been a monkey on his back for years.
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“A monkey on someone's back.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/a%20monkey%20on%20someone%27s%20back. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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