Keeping up with ICD-10 updates can feel like a moving target, especially when you’re already focused on helping clients, managing documentation, and ensuring your notes are audit-ready. This guide breaks down the most frequently used ICD-10 codes for mental health professionals in 2025, explaining key updates, code changes, and how they apply in everyday clinical practice.
You’ll also find practical solution for linking diagnoses to documentation in a way that’s both precise and defensible. Solutions like Mentalyc can make that process clearer and more consistent.
By analyzing session notes to surface relevant symptoms and track changes over time, Mentalyc helps therapists document why a diagnosis fits — making clinical reasoning visible, transparent, and ready for insurance or audit review.
Key Takeaways
- Depression, anxiety, PTSD, and adjustment disorders remain the most frequently coded mental health diagnoses.
- New codes like F32.A (unspecified depression) and F43.81 (prolonged grief) improve specificity.
- Eating disorder codes were expanded by severity, outdated codes like F50.01 and F50.2 are now invalid.
- Document symptom severity, remission status, and psychosocial context to support the correct code.
- Updated Z-codes provide better tracking of social and financial stressors affecting care.
What Are ICD-10 Codes and Why They Matter for Therapists
The ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision) is the universal system used by mental health professionals to classify and document mental and behavioral disorders. In the U.S., the ICD-10-CM version is maintained by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). In short, coding accuracy in behavioral health strengthens both clinical documentation standards and ****accountability.
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For therapists, ICD-10 codes serve two essential purposes:
- Clinical clarity – ensuring consistent, accurate diagnoses across providers.
- Administrative accuracy – enabling proper billing, reimbursement, and compliance.
Using the correct code not only supports high-quality care but also protects your practice from claim denials, revenue loss, or compliance issues. ICD-10 coding helps therapists:
- Communicate diagnostic information clearly to other healthcare providers.
- Justify medical necessity for insurance reimbursement.
- Track client outcomes and trends over time.
- Contribute data for public health and research purposes.
Understanding F, G, and Z Code Classifications
While F-codes form the backbone of most therapy documentation, G-codes and Z-codes add valuable clinical context. G-codes help capture neurological conditions that may influence emotional or cognitive functioning, while Z-codes highlight the social, environmental, and situational factors shaping a client’s mental health.
Together, these categories give therapists a fuller diagnostic picture — ensuring documentation reflects both the clinical symptoms and the lived context behind them.
ICD-10 Coding Categories in Mental Health
| Code Category | Category Name | Purpose / Common Use | Examples of Common Codes |
|---|---|---|---|
| F Codes | Mental and Behavioral Disorders | Used to classify mental and behavioral conditions diagnosed and treated in therapy. These are the most frequently used codes for documentation, billing, and treatment planning. | – F32.0–F33.9: Depressive disorders – F41.1: Generalized anxiety disorder – F43.10: Post-traumatic stress disorder – F42: Obsessive-compulsive disorder – F10–F19: Substance use disorders |
| G Codes | Neurological Disorders | Capture neurological or neurophysiological conditions that may overlap with or influence mental health symptoms. Often used in collaboration with medical specialists. | – G47.00: Insomnia, unspecified – G43.909: Migraine, unspecified – G40.909: Epilepsy, unspecified – G89.29: Other chronic pain |
| Z Codes | Factors Influencing Health Status and Contact with Health Services | Document psychosocial factors, life stressors, or preventive encounters when no specific mental disorder is diagnosed. Also used to record social determinants of health that affect treatment or functioning. | – Z63.5: Disruption of family by separation or divorce – Z65.8: Other specified psychosocial circumstances – Z71.9: Counseling, unspecified – Z59.861–Z59.869: Financial insecurity (specific 2026 update) |
Most Frequently Used Mental Health ICD-10 Codes in 2025
| ICD-10 Code | Condition / Description | Note |
|---|---|---|
| F32.A | Depression, unspecified | New in 2025. For depressive symptoms that don’t meet full criteria for major depressive disorder. Replaces overuse of F32.9 for “depression NOS.” |
| F32.0 – F33.9 | Major depressive disorder (single / recurrent) | Still among the top-billed codes. Document episode type, severity, and recurrence. |
| F41.1 | Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) | Severity specifiers encouraged in 2025 guidelines (mild, moderate, severe). Include in documentation though code unchanged. |
| F43.10 / F43.11 / F43.12 | Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) | Codes unchanged; guidance clarified: “acute” < 3 months, “chronic” ≥ 3 months. Document onset + duration. |
| F43.81 | Prolonged grief disorder | Added 2025 for DSM-5-TR diagnosis. Use instead of adjustment-disorder or generic stress codes when criteria met. |
| F43.20 – F43.29 | Adjustment disorders | Remain common therapy codes (e.g., F43.23 – with mixed anxiety and depressed mood). Use F43.89 for unspecified adjustment reactions. |
| F50.01x – F50.09x | Anorexia nervosa (subtyped + severity) | Expanded 2025 coding; choose restricting / binge-purge type + severity (mild → extreme). Older single codes non-billable. |
| F50.21x – F50.29x | Bulimia nervosa (severity / remission) | Split by severity + remission status; replaces F50.2. |
| F50.81x | Binge-eating disorder (severity-specific) | Added 2025; pick correct severity code. |
| F50.83 / F50.84 | Adult pica / adult rumination disorder | Recognizes adult feeding disorders previously lumped under child codes. |
| F10 – F19 series | Substance use, abuse, dependence disorders | 2025 guidelines refined remission coding: distinguish “abuse vs dependence in remission.” Use dual codes if medical condition present. |
| F45.41 / F45.42 | Pain disorder (psychological / mixed factors) | Clarified coding: use F45.41 for psychological only; add G89 pain code for mixed factors. |
| F01 – F03 series | Dementia / major neurocognitive disorder | 2025 adds severity requirement (mild, moderate, severe) when documented. |
| F68.A | Factitious disorder imposed on another | Clarified for “Munchausen by proxy”; applies to perpetrator, not victim. |
| Z63.5 | Family disruption due to separation or divorce | Common psychosocial context Z-code; unchanged. |
| Z65.8 | Other specified psychosocial circumstances | Use to document stressors impacting treatment (e.g., housing, legal issues). |
| Z59.861 / Z59.868 / Z59.869 | Financial insecurity (detailed 2026 codes) | 2026 replaced old Z59.86 header; need to specify type of financial stress. |
| Z71.9 | Counseling, unspecified | For general counseling encounters without a mental-disorder diagnosis; confirm payer policy. |
Key ICD-10-CM Updates for Mental Health in 2025
The 2025 ICD-10-CM updates introduced several significant changes for U.S. mental health professionals that take effect from October 1, 2024. These updates enhance diagnostic precision and billing clarity:
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- New Diagnosis Codes:
- F32.A was added to identify unspecified depression, separating it from major depressive disorder.
- F43.81 now represents prolonged grief disorder, allowing more specific documentation of persistent bereavement symptoms.
- F68.A was introduced for factitious disorder imposed on another (Munchausen by proxy).
- Updated Eating Disorder Codes:Codes for anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder were expanded with new specifiers for severity (mild to extreme) and remission status.
- PTSD Classification Expanded:PTSD codes now include specifiers for acute, chronic, dissociative symptoms, and combat-related trauma. This aligns better with DSM-5-TR subtypes and improves billing precision.
- Dementia Coding Overhaul:Dementia codes now require documentation of severity (mild, moderate, severe) and any behavioral or psychological symptoms such as agitation, anxiety, or psychosis.
- Substance Use Remission Guidelines:Updated guidance emphasizes coding only the most severe condition (abuse vs. dependence) in remission, and requires specificity to avoid using “unspecified” codes improperly.
How to Improve Your Mental Health Coding Skills
Accurate coding is more than an administrative task — it’s part of ethical, high-quality care. Precise documentation shows professionalism, ensures smooth reimbursement, and supports clear communication across providers. Like any clinical skill, coding accuracy improves with ongoing education and the right tools. Here are some practical ways to strengthen your coding confidence and precision:
- Invest in continuing education. Take an ICD-10-CM coding course or collaborate with a certified professional coder to deepen your understanding and stay current.
- Use trusted references. Keep the official ICD-10-CM Coding Guidelines handy and refer to the American Psychological Association (APA) or American Psychiatric Association (APA) for updates and best practices.
- Review key diagnostic categories. Familiarize yourself with common mental health ranges such as mood disorders (F30–F39), anxiety disorders (F40–F48), and schizophrenia spectrum disorders (F20–F29).
- Track annual updates. Each year, revisions to the ICD-10 can impact how you code mental health conditions, check our blog regularly to stay compliant.
- Ask for support. When unsure, consult with your billing specialist or reach out to insurance providers for clarification. It’s always better to verify than risk errors or denials.
And remember, clarity in documentation strengthens diagnostic confidence. Mentalyc can help by organizing your session notes and surfacing relevant symptom patterns, ensuring your chosen diagnosis is supported by clear, defensible reasoning — every time you document.
Conclusion
Mastering mental health coding is part of becoming a more confident, accurate, and ethical clinician. Staying current with most common ICD-10 codes and its updates not only ensures proper reimbursement but also strengthens the clinical foundation of your care. Each correctly coded diagnosis reflects your commitment to clarity, compliance, and client well-being.
And with solutions like Mentalyc, you can bring more precision and confidence to your documentation. It analyzes session notes to surface symptom patterns, track diagnostic changes over time, and highlight relational dynamics through Alliance Genie™ insights – helping therapists justify diagnoses clearly, strengthen clinical reasoning, and continuously grow in their practice.
Mentalyc Plans & Pricing
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| 14-Day Free Trial | $0 | 14 days of full PRO access, including 15 notes—no credit card required. |
| Mini | USD 14.99 /month | Record in-person sessions, upload audio files, use voice-to-text, or type notes directly, etc |
| Basic | USD 29.99 /month | Everything in Mini, plus: Alliance Genie™ NEW! (limited access), Smart TP™ |
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For more information, visit the pricing page on our website.
FAQ: ICD-10 Codes for Common Mental Health Conditions
What is the ICD-10 code for mental health therapy?
There isn’t a single ICD-10 code for “therapy” itself — clinicians use diagnostic codes that describe the client’s condition (for example, F32.0 – Major depressive disorder, mild or F41.1 – Generalized anxiety disorder). These codes justify the need for therapy and are paired with CPT codes (Current Procedural Terminology) to bill for the actual service, such as individual or group psychotherapy sessions.
What is the difference between F43.8 and F43.89?
Both codes fall under F43 – Reaction to severe stress and adjustment disorders, but they describe different subtypes:
- F43.8 – Other specified reactions to severe stress (used when the stress response doesn’t fully meet another specific category).
- F43.89 – Other specified adjustment reactions (applied when symptoms relate to adjustment difficulties rather than an acute stress response).Choosing between them depends on whether the client’s presentation stems from a traumatic event or an adjustment process.
Can therapists use Z codes?
Yes. Z codes identify psychosocial factors or circumstances that affect treatment but don’t represent a mental disorder. Therapists can use them when documenting preventive care, relationship issues, or life stressors — for example, Z63.5 – Disruption of family by separation or divorce or Z65.8 – Other specified psychosocial problems.
Z codes are especially useful for counseling sessions without a clinical diagnosis, though reimbursement may vary by insurer.
What is the ICD-10 code for encounter for counseling?
Use Z71.9 – Counseling, unspecified when the purpose of the visit is counseling or advice rather than treatment of a diagnosed mental disorder.
If the counseling focuses on a specific topic, more precise codes can be used (e.g., Z71.84 – Counseling for victim of sexual violence). Always verify payer policies, as some require an accompanying F-code diagnosis for reimbursement.
What is the difference between Z13.6 and Z13.220?
Both describe encounters for mental health screening but with different scopes:
- Z13.6 – Encounter for screening for cardiovascular disorders (unrelated to mental health).
- Z13.220 – Encounter for screening for depression — the relevant mental-health-related code, used when a clinician screens a client for depressive symptoms without yet diagnosing a depressive disorder.Therapists performing mental-health screenings should typically use Z13.220 when documenting preventive or assessment-only sessions.
What are the most common ICD-10 codes used in mental health?
F41.9 Anxiety disorder, unspecified
F32.9 Major depressive disorder (MDD), single episode, unspecified
F43.10 Post-traumatic stress disorder, unspecified
What are the most frequently used ICD-10 codes for anxiety disorders?
F41.1 (Generalized anxiety disorder): This code is frequently used due to the high prevalence of GAD. Generalized anxiety disorder involves excessive worry and anxiety about multiple events or activities.
F41.9 (Anxiety disorder, unspecified): This catch-all code is used when the specific type of anxiety disorder is not known or specified. It includes disorders like panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and separation anxiety disorder.
How often do ICD-10 codes change?
ICD-10 codes are updated annually on October 1. Mental health practitioners should stay up-to-date with changes to ensure accurate diagnosis coding and billing. Monitoring updates to the ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes helps avoid claim denials and provides you with the most current terminology.
References:
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2024, April). FY 2025 ICD-10-CM Code Updates. https://www.cms.gov/medicare/icd-10/2025-icd-10-cm
ICD10Data.com. (2024). ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code F43.81: Prolonged Grief Disorder. https://www.icd10data.com/ICD10CM/Codes/F01-F99/F40-F48/F43-/F43.81
UASI. (2024, July 30). FY 2025 ICD-10-CM Key Code and Guideline Updates. https://www.uasisolutions.com/icd-10-cm-updates-2025/
SimplePractice. (2024). F32 Depression Codes: How to Use the New F32.A Code. https://www.simplepractice.com/blog/2025-icd-10-cm-depression-updates/
Valant. (2024, September). ICD-10 Code Updates for Mental Health Providers in 2025. https://www.valant.io/blog/2025-icd-10-updates-mental-health
SpryPoint. (2024). ICD-10 Coding for PTSD: What Changed in 2025? https://www.sprypt.com/blog/2025-ptsd-coding-updates
Outsource Strategies International. (2023, September 27). Common ICD-10 Codes in Behavioral Health. https://www.outsourcestrategies.com/blog/exploring-most-commonly-used-icd-10-codes-behavioral-health/
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