You have my complete sympathy, SandyWeb. When my depression became very bad (I can only speak from my own experience), I lost the ability to read anything longer than a single page in a book. And I was always, all of my life, an avid reader, too. So it felt like losing a best friend.

It's been 15 years since I was diagnosed, and I am no longer needing medication to manage my depression, which has really backed off (gratefully!). But I am still dealing with a lot of anxiety.

Slowly, when I did start to really feel much better, I could tell some processes which I felt had abandoned me for forever were actually returning to me. I still can't read for protracted periods like I used to, but my focus and retention are better, and I'm even getting back the desire to create some artwork again. My thinking, overall, is much healthier and my reasoning skills are much faster and stronger.

So please don't despair. If it's a problem for awhile, perhaps it will also return after a bit.

I like a lot of the suggestions people have offered, here.

Also, I would definitely ask a medical professional about it. Perhaps there is some way they can help.