a monkey on one's back

[dilodi83]

What's the exact meaning of to have a monkey on one's back and in which context it is suitable to use?

1) to be a pain in the neck
2) to be a burden to someone/to have a burden

[riquecohen]

It's usually used to refer to someone who is addicted to drugs or alcohol.

This is the only context in which I've heard this term used. The Free Dictionary gives other contexts. Look here. monkey - Idioms - by the Free Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.

[dilodi83]

This is the only context in which I've heard this term used. The Free Dictionary gives other contexts. Look here. monkey - Idioms - by the Free Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.

It's really weird because yestarday I was talking to an American friend of mine and he said to me, kidding: Oh Gosh, you're a monkey on my back....
I thought he meant something like: you're a pain in the neck...or something similar...

P.S. I'm not addicted to any sort of drugs and I do not have any problems with alcohol either...

[riquecohen]

It's really weird because yestarday I was talking to an American friend of mine and he said to me, kidding: Oh Gosh, you're a monkey on my back....
I thought he meant something like: you're a pain in the neck...or something similar...

P.S. I'm not addicted to any sort of drugs and I do not have any problems with alcohol either...

Well, are you "a serious problem that won't go away?" As he said it tongue in cheek, I think your interpretation is probably correct.