If we want to denote a symptom, a condition, an abnormal tendency, or an uncontrollable urge, then we use the suffix "-itis", (it's from Latin by way of Greek and refers to an inflammation) that we may attach to almost any word we like. Medical terms such as "gastritis" or "phlebitis" are commonplace and literal, and we can make figurative compounds such as "movieitis" or "chocolatitis", which you will find already exist if you Google them.
by cdbharley August 17, 2011