Treat depression, without the side effects of drugs

Wearable headset
Trusted by the NHS and available at Well Pharmacy
Rated Excellent on Trustpilot

Is Flow for me?

Treat depression, without the side effects of drugs

Wearable headset
Trusted by the NHS and available at Well Pharmacy
Rated Excellent on Trustpilot

Is Flow for me?

"Overwhelmingly positive feedback from patients"

“It was like a switch flicked”

"Could this headset stop me needing antidepressants?"

Feel better in 3 weeks

No side effects of medication

Our technology uses a non-invasive brain stimulation method called tDCS.

Treatment that works fast

No appointments or waiting lists, we deliver in 1-3 working days. 88% of people see results within 3 weeks.

30-day money-back guarantee

Just over 1 in 10 people don't see improvements with Flow. If that's you, we offer a 'no questions asked' money back guarantee.

Get your headset

How Flow works

When you experience depression, there are lower levels of activity in the front area of your brain. This is the part responsible for regulating mood, sleep and motivation.

Your brain runs on electricity; Flow sends gentle electrical impulses into the area that has slowed down. This gets cells firing again and reduces your symptoms of depression.

The technology is called tDCS - or transcranial Direct Current Stimulation.

Until now it was expensive and only available at clinics. With Flow you can access the treatment at home.

Buy the headset

Results with Flow

effective as antidepressants

57%

depression-free after 10 weeks

<4%

side effects, all minor

Double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial, UK/US (n=173)

See more results

"Flow is a lifeline" - what our users say

I was driving home tonight and this thought came into my head. I feel alive! Flow is doing something good for me.

Margaret

Meds were making me numb. Since doing Flow, I have the sparkle back. My partner noticed how different I was. I am loving life.

Sarah-Louise

Liverpool

I'm beginning to feel a lot, lot better after every session. I'm cutting down on the antidepressants, my mind is less fuzzy and I can think straighter.

Chris

I was going through a divorce and finding things very challenging. Flow gave me more energy, my brain felt more healthy... it helped me through a dark patch.

Luke

Essex

Since using Flow I have felt a vast difference in my energy. I am happier than I have been for a long time.

Lindsay

Derry

My life was falling apart around me. I couldn't have anticipated how much better Flow made me. I will always have to work at staying well, but Flow has given me a reliable tool.

Annie

Aylesbury

The major benefits for me are that I feel more resilient and able to cope.

Paul

My psychiatrist read about Flow and had good things to say. It gave me the confidence to use the device.

Sergio

Swindon

I went on a three hour walk yesterday, which is unheard of me. It's helped me get out the rut.

Dan

After 3 weeks I had become more positive, my head was clearer. I felt less cluttered, more relaxed, and anxious thoughts decreased.

Jade

Bracknell, Berkshire

I feel so much calmer and more focused after using it.

Tomas

Bournemouth

After 2-3 weeks, I felt more positive and less pessimistic already

Mirac

Liverpool

Dr Azhar Zafar uses Flow with his patients

Dr Azhar is leading an NHS pilot to see if GPs can integrate Flow into their current workflows:

“Flow has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from our patients, who have reported improvements in their emotional well-being, increased energy levels, and overall functioning. Patients experience minimal discomfort or side effects during its use. Some patients have come off their antidepressants as a result of using Flow."

See results from Flow users

Flow users track their depression score weekly, using a quiz called MADRS-s.

Depression score: -53%

Fiona

User for 2.5 years

Depression score: -60%

Ron

User for 3 months

Depression score: -58%

Penny

User for over 2 years

Depression score: -50%

Adam

User for 3 weeks

"I had nothing to lose"

Flow works for 88% of people within 3 weeks. That means for just over 1 in 10 people it doesn’t work.

If you’re one of those people, we offer a ‘no questions asked’ 30 day money-back guarantee.

So if it doesn’t work, you get your money back. It’s that simple.

Shop the headset

Our reviews from Trustpilot

We include all of our reviews on our website, we don’t filter any out.

See if Flow can help you

We use an industry recognised quiz called MADRS-s to give you an indication of your depression severity.

Although the quiz cannot diagnose (only a doctor can do that), a score of over 12 indicates depression.

To complete the quiz, choose the statement that best represents how you've been feeling over the past 3 days.

Take the 5 mins quiz

Mood Feelings of unease Sleep Appetite Ability to concentrate Initiative Emotional involvement Pessimism Zest for life

Here you should try to indicate your mood, whether you have felt sad or gloomy. Here you should indicate to what extent you have had feelings of inner tension, uneasiness, anxiety, or vague fear, during the past 3 days. Here you should indicate how well you sleep, how long you sleep, and how good your sleep has been for the past 3 nights. Here you should indicate how your appetite has been, and try to recall whether it has differed in any way from normal. Here you should try to indicate your ability to collect your thoughts, to concentrate on what you are doing. Here you should try to assess your ability to get things done. Here you should assess your interest in your surroundings, in other people, and in activities that normally give you pleasure. Here you should consider how you view your future, and how you feel about yourself. This item concerns your appetite for life, and whether you have felt listless and weary of life.

Try to recall how you have felt during the past 3 days, whether your mood has been changeable or much the same all the time. In particular, try to recall whether you have felt more cheerful if something good happened. Pay particular attention to how intense any such feelings have been, whether they have come and gone or persisted almost all the time. Your assessment should reflect how you have actually slept, regardless of whether you have used sleeping pills. If you have slept more than usual, you should mark the scale at zero (0). If your appetite has been better than usual, you should mark the scale at zero (0). Try to recall how well you have been able to cope with tasks requiring different degrees of concentration — for instance, compare your ability to read a more complex text and an easy passage in the newspaper, or to pay attention to the TV. This item concerns how hard or how easy it is for you to get started on things you think should be done, and to what extent you feel you must overcome inner resistance (inertia) in order to get started on anything. Consider to what extent you may feel self-critical, whether you are plagued with guilty feelings, and whether you have been worrying more than usual — for example, about your finances or your health. Have you had thoughts of suicide, and if so to what extent do you consider it a realistic escape?

I can be either cheerful or sad, depending on the circumstances I feel calm for the most part I have no sleeping problems, and get as much sleep as I need. I have no difficulty in falling asleep My appetite has been much the same as usual I have no difficulty in concentrating I have no difficulties starting new tasks I am interested and involved in my surroundings, and this gives me pleasure I view the future with confidence. On the whole I am quite satisfied with life My appetite for life is normal

I feel a bit low for the most part, though sometimes it eases up a little I sometimes have unpleasant feelings of unease I have some sleeping problems. Sometimes it is hard to get off to sleep, or I sleep more lightly or restlessly than usual My appetite has been poorer than usual Occasionally I find it hard to concentrate on things that I would usually find interesting (e.g., reading, or watching TV) When I have to get on with something, I find it more difficult than usual I feel less strongly about things that normally arouse my interest; it is harder than usual to be cheerful, or to be angry when there is cause Sometimes I am self-critical and think I am less worthy than others Life doesn't seem particularly meaningful, though I don't wish I were dead

I feel thoroughly low and gloomy. Even things that normally cheer me up give me no pleasure I am constantly plagued by feelings of uneasiness that can be very strong, and which I must make an effort to overcome I sleep at least 2h a night less than usual. I wake often during the night, even if nothing has disturbed me I have had almost no appetite at all. Food seems tasteless and I have to make myself eat I find it particularly hard to concentrate on things that usually require no effort (e.g., reading, or talking with other people) It requires great effort for me to get started on simple tasks that I normally perform more or less without thinking I feel no interest in my surroundings, not even for friends and acquaintances I brood over my failures and feel inferior or worthless, even if others may not agree I often think it would be better to be dead, and though I don't really want to commit suicide it does seem a possible solution

I feel so utterly low and miserable, that I can imagine nothing worse I have dreadful, persistent or unbearable feelings of anxiety I sleep very badly, no more than 2-3h a night I haven't felt like eating at all. I need persuading if I am to get anything down I am quite unable to concentrate on anything at all I can not get started with the simplest everyday tasks I no longer have any feelings. I feel painfully indifferent, even toward those closest to me Everything seems black to me, and I can see no glimmering of hope. I feel I am thoroughly useless, and that there is no chance of forgiveness for the awful things I have done I am quite convinced that my only solution is to die, and I give a lot of thought to the best way to take my own life

Getting started

1. Buy or rent headset

Delivered in 1-3 working days.

2. Download the app

Stimulate with the app and complete behavioural therapy courses.

3. Use weekly

Use 5 times a week, for 30 mins.
After 3 weeks, reduce to twice a week.

Get your headset

4.4 rating on TrustPilot

4 / 5 would recommend

30-day money back guarantee

FAQs

Most people feel better after 3 weeks. In our data we see another increase after 6 weeks, and again at 10 weeks. Though this does differ from person to person.

One things for sure - you need to follow the treatment plan, which means using the headset 5 times a week for the first 3 weeks, followed by twice a week after that. Each session is 30 minutes long.

Yes. The Flow device was designed by experts and is based on tDCS techniques that have been used in clinics for over a decade to treat depression. The Flow device has undergone research that confirms it is a safe and effective treatment for depression.

tDCS is also listed as a treatment for depression on the NHS website.

Yes. About half of our users follow the behavioural therapy courses in the app, but you don't have to. You can listen to music, watch TV, play computer games - whatever you want. Just don't operate heavy machinery, go near water or perform intense exercise.

Whenever works best for you. Some people feel energised after a stimulation so use it in the morning. Some people feel sleepy so do it at night.

Scientifically, it doesn't matter, so you can work out a routine that works for you.

Yes - Flow is perfectly safe to use with antidepressants, and many people use it alongside medication. If you are thinking about lowering your dose of antidepressants, or coming off them completely, you should talk to your Doctor first.

Flow has been tested on depression. We don't have any specific clinical research on how it impacts anxiety on its own.

However, every week people who use Flow answer a questionnaire. In this sample of 10,000 users 58% are less anxious after using Flow for 3 weeks.

We recommend talking to your Doctor if you're considering using Flow for a stand-alone diagnosis of anxiety.

Flow is a medical device, under the following circumstances you should take extra precaution and talk to your Doctor before you use it:

Pregnancy (or suspected pregnancy)
Bipolar disorder (or having a history of hypomanic/manic episodes)
Epilepsy (or having a history of seizures)
Heart disease (or suspected heart disease)
A neurological or neuropsychiatric condition
Having recently had a surgical procedure
Having a defect in neurocranium and/or an implant inside the skull
Having an active, implanted medical device (e.g. cardiac pacemaker, spinal cord stimulator, vagal nerve stimulator, auricular stimulator, deep-brain stimulating electrodes, cochlear implant, implanted hearing aid or defibrillator) or other implanted, metallic or electronic device
Suicidal thoughts (thoughts about ending your life)