I can't focus.

I find when I watch TV programmes or read I have trouble focusing on content, and remembering stuff. In terms of trying to read, I may skim read, just read bits here and there or go over and over the same sentence. It can be better if I make notes or highlight some things as I read for example if its an article. In terms of TV, I can be sat in front of screen often quite tense and fidgity, and be distracted by inner talk in my head. I don't feel that good generally when watch TV or afterwards.

duh - i hate to mention a most obvious thing - you had enough presence of mind to write what you did. therefore - you have enough 'focus' to do such a thing as to write to psychcentral and spell out your problems.
so - there are other things going on that have made you lose focus. maybe you never really wanted to write things on the net - cause i thought of doing that - but most of the pieces are like fluff (how to take a proper shower, how to properly boil an egg) - that the idea of it was so mindless and therefore so stupid, i never wanted to write something like that, so i didn't.
all i can suggest is to go outside yourself. if you yourself are disorganized and feel useless and depressed - go outside yourself and do something for someone/ something else. take up THEIR challenge as your own. because your own challenge will never be enough for you - it's insufficient to keep your mind aware. the reason you have trouble remembering stuff cause there is no reason to - for yourself.
remembering for someone else might be more important to you and hopefully an answer to your dilemma.

Well, first off, it took me a very long time to write what I did on this forum. Secondly, writing to people on a forum is a completely different type of writing than writing an essay, report, or article. You can violate grammar rules or type long, run-on sentences here, and it's not a big deal. This type of writing is more of just a relaying of facts too if that makes any sense. Like, all I'm really doing is telling you "I can't focus." "It takes me a long time to read." It's different than trying to construct an argument or articulately describing a product or process. I don't know how to explain it, which is part of the problem. I can tell, but I can't explain or describe without sounding jumbled and incomprehensive.

What is MI? It sucks you had to give up a job for it. I know how that feels. I had to give up a really lucrative job because they were constantly yelling at me to write faster, faster, faster, and I just can't...my brain doesn't focus well enough or work that fast no matter how hard I try to force it.

No, I am not taking medication, nor was I taking any when this started.

I will accept your friend request.

I am the same way. I don't really watch TV anymore, but if I try to watch a movie, I am like that. I will think it sounds like a great idea to relax and watch a movie, but then instead, I'm just fidgeting and ready to rip my hair out the whole time. I saw the Hunger Games Part 2 with a guy several months ago, and after, he asked what I thought of the movie and all I could tell him was that I had no idea what happened in the movie. Embarrassing.

Knowing what you want and creating own goals, visualising things for self, making own efforts to challenge self, not following what others want you to do/how to be is important. I don't want to live other people's lives. I want to be the master of my own life and not be bullied, controlled by others.
I'm not the only one who has difficulty concentrating when have high anxiety and severe depression. I have talked to others who have problem reading when depressive. When i was at University, I had to retake several assessments and have extra time in exams etc.. because i had trouble concentrating. It took me longer to complete stuff than others. It was difficult doing coursework on time cos it involved reading books. I ha to submit extenuating circumstances. Writing is easier to do than reading. Writing is a way of expressing oneself, putting thoughts and feelings down that are hard to store in head.

I dont need people imposing their beliefs on me and making false harsh unhelpful judgements about me, my circumstances when they don't know me, how things are in my life, what i go through, how long i've had illness for and how its affected me in different ways.