Anxiety, PTSD and Adjustment Disorder ICD-10 Codes for Therapists
Generalized anxiety disorder is F41.1, panic disorder F41.0 and social anxiety disorder F40.10. PTSD is F43.10, F43.11 (acute) or F43.12 (chronic), acute stress reaction is F43.0, and adjustment disorders run from F43.20 to F43.25 plus F43.29. Here is each code a therapist is likely to need, and how to pick the one your note supports.
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Codes and titles checked against the CMS ICD-10-CM code files for FY2026 and FY2027 (FY2027 took effect October 1, 2026; none of these codes changed). General information, not coding or billing advice: you are responsible for the codes you report, and payer rules vary.
Quick answer
- Anxiety disorders: F41.1 generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), F41.0 panic disorder, F41.8 other specified anxiety disorders, F41.9 anxiety disorder, unspecified.
- Phobias: F40.10 social anxiety disorder (social phobia, unspecified), F40.00 agoraphobia, F40.01 agoraphobia with panic disorder, and specific phobias in F40.2 (for example F40.218 animal type, F40.248 situational type).
- Trauma and stress: F43.0 acute stress reaction, F43.10 PTSD unspecified, F43.11 PTSD acute, F43.12 PTSD chronic, F43.81 prolonged grief disorder, F43.89 other reactions to severe stress, F43.9 reaction to severe stress, unspecified.
- Adjustment disorders: F43.20 unspecified, F43.21 with depressed mood, F43.22 with anxiety, F43.23 with mixed anxiety and depressed mood, F43.24 with disturbance of conduct, F43.25 with mixed disturbance of emotions and conduct, F43.29 with other symptoms.
- Not billable: F40, F40.0, F40.1, F40.2, F41, F43, F43.1, F43.2 and F43.8 are headings. Report a code with all of its characters.
F41: generalized anxiety, panic and other anxiety disorders
ICD-10-CM puts generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder and the specified and unspecified anxiety codes in F41. The category has an Excludes2 note for anxiety that is part of an acute stress reaction (F43.0) or a transient adjustment reaction (F43.2), and for separation anxiety (F93.0).
| Code | ICD-10-CM title | Use when the note documents |
|---|---|---|
| F41.1 | Generalized anxiety disorder | Excessive, hard-to-control worry about several areas of life on most days, with physical symptoms such as restlessness, tension or poor sleep. DSM-5-TR requires at least six months. Inclusion terms: anxiety neurosis, anxiety reaction, anxiety state, overanxious disorder. |
| F41.0 | Panic disorder [episodic paroxysmal anxiety] | Recurrent unexpected panic attacks with ongoing worry about further attacks or a change in behavior because of them, without agoraphobia. Inclusion terms: panic attack, panic state. |
| F41.8 | Other specified anxiety disorders | A specified anxiety presentation that does not fit another code, with the reason named in the note. ICD-10-CM lists mixed anxiety and depressive disorder here. DSM-5-TR uses it for other specified anxiety disorder. |
| F41.9 | Anxiety disorder, unspecified | Clinically significant anxiety where the specific disorder is not yet documented (Anxiety NOS). DSM-5-TR uses it for unspecified anxiety disorder. |
| F41.3 | Other mixed anxiety disorders | Other mixed anxiety disorders. Rarely the best fit in outpatient therapy; document why no more specific code applies. |
| F93.0 | Separation anxiety disorder of childhood | Separation anxiety disorder. The ICD-10-CM title says "of childhood", but DSM-5-TR uses this code for separation anxiety disorder at any age. |
| F94.0 | Selective mutism | Selective mutism, which DSM-5-TR places with the anxiety disorders. |
| F06.4 | Anxiety disorder due to known physiological condition | Anxiety judged to be the direct physiological effect of a medical condition. Code the medical condition first. |
F40: agoraphobia, social anxiety and specific phobias
Phobic anxiety disorders are in F40. Social anxiety disorder is an inclusion term under F40.1, so the billable code is F40.10 or F40.11.
| Code | ICD-10-CM title | Use when the note documents |
|---|---|---|
| F40.00 | Agoraphobia, unspecified | Agoraphobia with no statement about panic disorder. DSM-5-TR uses this code for agoraphobia. |
| F40.01 | Agoraphobia with panic disorder | Agoraphobia and panic disorder together. "Panic disorder with agoraphobia" is an inclusion term here; do not also report F41.0 (Excludes1). |
| F40.02 | Agoraphobia without panic disorder | Agoraphobia where the note states there is no panic disorder. |
| F40.10 | Social phobia, unspecified | Social anxiety disorder (social phobia). DSM-5-TR uses this code for social anxiety disorder. |
| F40.11 | Social phobia, generalized | Social phobia, generalized: fear across most social situations, if your record uses that term. |
| Code | ICD-10-CM title | Use when the note documents |
|---|---|---|
| F40.218 | Other animal type phobia | Specific phobia, animal type (other than spiders). |
| F40.210 | Arachnophobia | Fear of spiders. |
| F40.228 | Other natural environment type phobia | Other natural environment type phobia, such as fear of water. Fear of thunderstorms has its own code, F40.220; fear of heights (acrophobia) is F40.241. |
| F40.220 | Fear of thunderstorms | Fear of thunderstorms. |
| F40.230 | Fear of blood | Blood-injection-injury type: fear of blood. |
| F40.231 | Fear of injections and transfusions | Blood-injection-injury type: fear of injections and transfusions. |
| F40.232 | Fear of other medical care | Blood-injection-injury type: fear of other medical care. |
| F40.233 | Fear of injury | Blood-injection-injury type: fear of injury. |
| F40.248 | Other situational type phobia | Specific phobia, situational type, such as elevators or driving (claustrophobia, fear of heights, bridges and flying have their own codes: F40.240 to F40.243). |
| F40.298 | Other specified phobia | Specific phobia, other type, such as fear of choking or vomiting. |
| F40.9 | Phobic anxiety disorder, unspecified | A phobia where the type is not documented (Phobia NOS). |
The F40.24 codes are F40.240 (Claustrophobia), F40.241 (Acrophobia), F40.242 (Fear of bridges) and F40.243 (Fear of flying). F40.8 (Other phobic anxiety disorders) covers phobic anxiety disorder of childhood.
F43: acute stress, PTSD and other reactions to severe stress
F43 covers reactions to severe stress and adjustment disorders. The trauma and stress codes are:
| Code | ICD-10-CM title | Use when the note documents |
|---|---|---|
| F43.0 | Acute stress reaction | Acute stress reaction. DSM-5-TR uses this code for acute stress disorder: symptoms that start after a traumatic event and last from three days to one month. Inclusion terms include acute crisis reaction and combat and operational stress reaction. |
| F43.10 | Post-traumatic stress disorder, unspecified | PTSD with no acute or chronic qualifier. DSM-5-TR lists this code for PTSD. |
| F43.11 | Post-traumatic stress disorder, acute | PTSD documented as acute. A common convention, carried over from DSM-IV, is symptoms lasting less than three months. |
| F43.12 | Post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic | PTSD documented as chronic, by the same convention three months or more. |
| F43.81 | Prolonged grief disorder | Prolonged grief disorder. Inclusion terms: complicated grief, persistent complex bereavement disorder. |
| F43.89 | Other reactions to severe stress | A specified trauma- or stressor-related presentation that does not fit another code, with the reason named. DSM-5-TR uses it for other specified trauma- and stressor-related disorder. |
| F43.9 | Reaction to severe stress, unspecified | A stress reaction where the specific disorder is not documented. Inclusion terms: unspecified trauma and stressor-related disorder. |
In the ICD-10-CM Alphabetic Index, "Reaction, stress (severe)" points to F43.9, the acute form to F43.0, and "specified NEC" to F43.89. No code in F40 to F43 was added, deleted or retitled for FY2026 or FY2027. On October 1, 2022 (FY2023), F43.8 became a heading split into F43.81 and F43.89.
F43.2: adjustment disorders
Consider an adjustment disorder when symptoms begin within three months of an identifiable stressor's onset and cause distress disproportionate to the circumstances and cultural context, or significant impairment in functioning. Check that another disorder or an exacerbation of an existing disorder does not better explain the symptoms, and distinguish the presentation from normal bereavement and prolonged grief disorder. Once the diagnosis is established, choose the code by the main symptoms documented.
| Code | ICD-10-CM title | Use when the note documents |
|---|---|---|
| F43.20 | Adjustment disorder, unspecified | An adjustment disorder whose main symptoms are not documented. |
| F43.21 | Adjustment disorder with depressed mood | Mainly low mood, tearfulness or hopelessness. |
| F43.22 | Adjustment disorder with anxiety | Mainly nervousness, worry, jitteriness or separation anxiety. |
| F43.23 | Adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood | A combination of anxiety and depressed mood. |
| F43.24 | Adjustment disorder with disturbance of conduct | Mainly disturbance of conduct, such as rule-breaking or violating others' rights. |
| F43.25 | Adjustment disorder with mixed disturbance of emotions and conduct | Both emotional symptoms (depression or anxiety) and a disturbance of conduct. |
| F43.29 | Adjustment disorder with other symptoms | Other main symptoms that do not fit the subtypes above. |
DSM-5-TR expects adjustment disorder symptoms to resolve within six months after the stressor or its consequences end. If symptoms last longer, or come to meet criteria for another disorder such as major depression, review the code. For depressive disorders see depression ICD-10 codes (F32, F33).
When no diagnosis is established
During an assessment, or for a single encounter, symptom and factor codes may fit better than a disorder code: R45.0 (Nervousness), R45.7 (State of emotional shock and stress, unspecified) and Z73.3 (Stress, not elsewhere classified; work-related stress is coded in Z56 instead). Z91.49 (Other personal history of psychological trauma, not elsewhere classified) records a trauma history; it is not a PTSD diagnosis. For the wider list, see the most-used F-codes for therapy billing and the mental health ICD-10 reference.
How to choose the code from what the note documents
The code should be the last step, not the first. Work through the record in this order, and if the note does not support a step, document more before you code more specifically.
- Rule out other causes. Note whether substances, medications or a medical condition could explain the anxiety. Anxiety due to a known physiological condition goes to F06.4, with the medical condition coded first. Substance-induced anxiety disorders are coded with the substance codes (F10 to F19), which are outside this page.
- Trauma or stressor? If symptoms followed a traumatic event, check the timing: from three days to one month after the event points to acute stress disorder (F43.0); beyond one month, assess for PTSD (F43.1). If the trigger is a stressor that does not meet the trauma definition and no other disorder fits, consider an adjustment disorder (F43.2).
- Which anxiety disorder? Recurrent unexpected panic attacks point to panic disorder (F41.0); fear or avoidance of places that are hard to escape, such as crowds or public transport, to agoraphobia (F40.00); fear of social scrutiny to social anxiety disorder (F40.10); fear of a specific object or situation to a specific phobia (F40.2); persistent worry across several areas to GAD (F41.1).
- Panic plus agoraphobia. ICD-10-CM combines them as F40.01; Excludes1 notes keep F41.0 and F40.01 from being reported together. DSM-5-TR lists panic disorder and agoraphobia as two diagnoses, so check payer guidance.
- Specified or unspecified. First establish a clinically significant anxiety or trauma- and stressor-related disorder. If you document why it does not meet criteria for a named disorder, an other-specified diagnosis may fit (F41.8 or F43.89). If the disorder is established but the reason or type is not specified, an unspecified diagnosis may fit (F41.9 or F43.9). If no disorder is established, report the supported symptoms or reason for the encounter rather than using a disorder code merely because the assessment is unfinished. Reassess as more information becomes available.
- PTSD qualifier. Record when symptoms began. If you code acute or chronic, the duration in the note should support it.
- Co-occurring depression. If criteria for a depressive disorder are met, code it as well (F32 or F33). Anxious distress is a specifier of the depressive disorder and has no code of its own; see diagnostic specifiers for depression and anxiety.
Billing tips for anxiety and stress codes
- Code to the highest specificity the note supports. If your assessment documents generalized anxiety disorder, F41.1 is more accurate than F41.9. Some payers query or deny unspecified codes for ongoing therapy, so update the code once the assessment is complete.
- Use complete codes. F40.1, F43.1 and F43.2 are headings; each needs its final character.
- Review adjustment disorder codes over time. Reassess if symptoms continue more than six months after both the stressor and its consequences have ended, or if another disorder may better explain them. Change the code only when the reassessment supports a different diagnosis, and document why.
- Keep the record consistent. The diagnosis in the note, the treatment plan and the claim should match.
- Check codes every October 1. ICD-10-CM is updated each fiscal year.
Example: documenting F41.1 (fictional)
Fictional example written for this page. The client and every detail are invented; there is no real PHI here. It shows assessment language that supports a specific code.
Assessment and diagnosis (fictional client)
Adult client · Individual session, 53 minutes · Diagnostic assessment completed this session
- Client reports worrying most days for about eight months about work deadlines, money and family members' health, and says the worry is hard to stop.
- Reports restlessness, muscle tension in the neck and shoulders, trouble falling asleep and irritability most days. GAD-7 score 14, reviewed in session.
- No discrete panic attacks reported; no avoidance of crowds or public places; worry is not limited to social situations. No traumatic event linked to the onset.
- Arrives late to work after poor sleep and has stopped weekend plans to catch up on tasks.
- Drinks one coffee a day and reports no other substance use; reports a recent primary care visit with no medical cause identified.
- Risk: denies suicidal ideation, intent or plan. Crisis resources, including 988, reviewed.
Diagnosis: Generalized anxiety disorder (F41.1).
Plan: Weekly CBT for worry, with relaxation training. Re-administer GAD-7 every four weeks.
The note supports F41.1 rather than F41.9: it records the type and duration of worry, the physical symptoms, the impact on functioning, and what was ruled out (panic, agoraphobia, social anxiety, trauma, substances and a medical cause). For worked notes, see SOAP notes for GAD, GAD progress notes, SOAP notes for panic disorder, SOAP notes for social anxiety, SOAP notes for trauma and PTSD, trauma and PTSD progress notes and adjustment disorder SOAP notes. Treatment plan examples: anxiety, PTSD and adjustment disorder.
How MentalNote fits
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Anxiety and PTSD ICD-10 codes: common questions
What is the ICD-10 code for generalized anxiety disorder?
F41.1, "Generalized anxiety disorder". It is a billable code. ICD-10-CM lists anxiety neurosis, anxiety reaction, anxiety state and overanxious disorder as inclusion terms under it, and DSM-5-TR uses F41.1 for generalized anxiety disorder.
What is the ICD-10 code for social anxiety disorder?
Social anxiety disorder is an inclusion term under ICD-10-CM subcategory F40.1 (Social phobias). The billable codes are F40.10 (Social phobia, unspecified) and F40.11 (Social phobia, generalized). DSM-5-TR lists F40.10 for social anxiety disorder. F40.1 on its own is a heading, not a billable code.
What is the difference between F41.9 and F41.8?
F41.9 is "Anxiety disorder, unspecified" (Anxiety NOS): an anxiety disorder is present but the type is not documented. DSM-5-TR uses it for unspecified anxiety disorder. F41.8 is "Other specified anxiety disorders", used when the clinician names a specific presentation that does not fit another anxiety code; ICD-10-CM lists mixed anxiety and depressive disorder under it, and DSM-5-TR uses it for other specified anxiety disorder.
What is the ICD-10 code for PTSD?
Post-traumatic stress disorder is coded in subcategory F43.1: F43.10 unspecified, F43.11 acute and F43.12 chronic. F43.1 alone is a heading. DSM-5-TR lists F43.10 for PTSD. ICD-10-CM does not define acute and chronic in the code titles; a common convention, from DSM-IV, is acute when symptoms have lasted less than three months and chronic at three months or more. Document the duration and check your payer's guidance.
What is the ICD-10 code for adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood?
F43.23, "Adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood". The other adjustment disorder codes are F43.20 unspecified, F43.21 with depressed mood, F43.22 with anxiety, F43.24 with disturbance of conduct, F43.25 with mixed disturbance of emotions and conduct, and F43.29 with other symptoms.
How do I code panic disorder with agoraphobia?
ICD-10-CM has a combination code, F40.01 (Agoraphobia with panic disorder), which lists "panic disorder with agoraphobia" as an inclusion term. Excludes1 notes on F40.01 and F41.0 keep the two from being reported together. Panic disorder alone is F41.0; agoraphobia alone is F40.00 or F40.02. DSM-5-TR treats panic disorder and agoraphobia as two separate diagnoses (F41.0 and F40.00), so check your payer's guidance when both are documented.
Did the F43.8 codes change for FY2026 or FY2027?
No. No code in F40 to F43 was added, deleted or retitled in the FY2026 or FY2027 ICD-10-CM updates. F43.8 has been a heading since October 1, 2022 (FY2023), split into F43.81 (Prolonged grief disorder) and F43.89 (Other reactions to severe stress). F43.8 alone is not billable.
Does MentalNote assign ICD-10 codes?
No. MentalNote does not assign or suggest ICD-10 codes. It drafts the note from your session, includes a diagnosis or code only when you state one, and you choose, check and enter the code yourself.
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