Construitis

Construitis is a term used in speculative, theoretical, or fictional discourse to describe a fixation on building, planning, and construction activities that becomes pervasive enough to influence thought and behavior. The word blends the root construire (to build) with the -itis suffix, giving it a medical aura, though it is not recognized as a real disorder in medical nomenclature.

Because construitis is not officially diagnosed, there are no formal criteria or prevalence data. Descriptions typically note signs such as an enduring preoccupation with architectural or engineering projects, excessive time spent sketching, modeling, or procuring materials, persistent planning of future builds, neglect of other activities, and distress when not engaged in construction.

Causes are hypothetical and likely multifactorial, involving personality traits such as perfectionism, environmental influences from professional or design cultures, and exposure to project-focused media. Digital platforms that showcase large-scale builds can reinforce a cycle of ideation and over-commitment.

Diagnosis and treatment are not standardized. In fiction or theoretical discussions, construitis may be approached with strategies from cognitive-behavioral therapy used for obsessive-compulsive or impulse-control phenomena, including exposure to non-building activities, time-management techniques, and boundary-setting. Considerations of environmental impact and financial risk are often discussed as part of management.

Epidemiology remains speculative and context-dependent. In literature and design discourse, construitis serves as a metaphor for modern preoccupation with scale, progress, and the social pressures surrounding grand construction projects.

Historically, the term appears in design theory and speculative psychology as a way to critique cultural drives toward perpetual building and optimization. See also architecture obsession and design culture.