an albatross around one's neck

The phrase "an albatross around one's neck" refers to a burdensome or troublesome responsibility, problem, or situation that someone feels trapped by or unable to escape from. It originates from Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner," in which a sailor kills an albatross, bringing upon himself and his crew a curse that he must bear as a constant reminder of his guilt. In common usage, it represents a heavy and persistent burden that hinders or weighs down a person's progress or happiness.