Get a monkey off your back
Definition 1 of 1
Pro Tip 1/3Stress Relief
Use when expressing the relief after eliminating a stressful problem. 
He finally got the monkey off his back by quitting the stressful job.
Pro Tip 2/3Emotional Weight
Highlights the emotional burden associated with the problem that's been resolved. 
Clearing her debts, she got the monkey off her back.
Pro Tip 3/3Persisting Difficulty
Implies the problem solved has been persistent, maybe spanning a long period. 
After years of study, he finally got the monkey off his back and graduated.