My problem did not start when I was young.

I am currently in my mid fifties and my affliction started about 12 years ago. What was happening in my life then? I was divorced, on my own, no children and my job changed drastically. My affliction/picking is not my face, scalp or torso, I pick my left foot until it bleeds and bleeds until I can't walk. I have had to take time off work because it is so sore I can't bare to put my weight on it. When it starts to heal the skin is so dry it cracks and the bleeding starts all over again as does the picking. Wearing pantihose or nylon socks with closed in shoes causes the foot to sweat and when I get home and take them off, the circle of scratching, picking and gouging with my finger nails begins. Oh it feels so good, so good. Its almost like an orgasm. For many years I have hidden it by wearing socks and bandages, making excuses for it. I finally got up the nerve to speak to my family doctor who gave me prescription creams to put on it. These did not help. She sent me to a dermatologist who diagnosed it as psoriasis. I completed a 7 month psoriasis drug pilot to no avail. Nothing has worked. I fell upon this website today after last night I was scratching and peeling the skin off my foot while in bed, and decided to google "skin picking". I'm in awe that there are so many of us with this problem.