The ICD-10-CM manual lists tens of thousands of codes. As a mental health therapist, you use a few dozen of them, over and over. This cheat sheet pulls those high-frequency codes into one scannable page so you can look up a code or find the right diagnosis code in seconds.
Everything below is on this page for quick reference, and the same codes are available as a free one-page printable PDF you can pin by your desk or keep open while you chart. Bookmark this page and grab the download—no email required.
Looking for the full picture? This is the quick-reference version. For when-to-use guidance, documentation requirements, and billing detail on each code, see our complete guide to ICD-10 codes for mental health.
Most-Searched Codes
The individual codes therapists look up most often, each with its plain-language diagnosis. For example, F41.1 is generalized anxiety disorder, F90.2 is ADHD combined type, and F43.23 is adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood.
| Code | Diagnosis |
|---|---|
| F41.1 | Generalized anxiety disorder |
| F90.2 | ADHD, combined type |
| F33.1 | Major depressive disorder, recurrent, moderate |
| F43.23 | Adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood |
| F43.10 | Post-traumatic stress disorder, unspecified |
| F84.0 | Autistic disorder (autism spectrum disorder) |
| F31.81 | Bipolar II disorder |
| F42.2 | Obsessive-compulsive disorder (mixed obsessional thoughts and acts) |
The Cheat Sheet: Top 20 Mental Health Codes
These are the most frequently billed mental health diagnosis codes in U.S. outpatient practice. If you bill insurance, you'll use most of these regularly.
| Code | Diagnosis | Category |
|---|---|---|
| F41.1 | Generalized anxiety disorder | Anxiety |
| F43.23 | Adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood | Adjustment |
| F33.1 | Major depressive disorder, recurrent, moderate | Depression |
| F43.22 | Adjustment disorder with anxiety | Adjustment |
| F41.9 | Anxiety disorder, unspecified | Anxiety |
| F43.20 | Adjustment disorder, unspecified | Adjustment |
| F43.10 | Post-traumatic stress disorder, unspecified | Trauma |
| F43.12 | Post-traumatic stress disorder, chronic | Trauma |
| Z63.0 | Problems in relationship with spouse or partner | Z-code |
| F43.21 | Adjustment disorder with depressed mood | Adjustment |
| F90.2 | ADHD, combined type | ADHD |
| F33.0 | Major depressive disorder, recurrent, mild | Depression |
| F90.0 | ADHD, predominantly inattentive type | ADHD |
| F32.1 | Major depressive disorder, single episode, moderate | Depression |
| F34.1 | Dysthymic disorder (persistent depressive disorder) | Depression |
| F84.0 | Autistic disorder | Autism |
| F33.2 | Major depressive disorder, recurrent, severe | Depression |
| F32.9 | Major depressive disorder, single episode, unspecified | Depression |
| F43.11 | Post-traumatic stress disorder, acute | Trauma |
| F90.9 | ADHD, unspecified type | ADHD |
Want it on paper? Download the printable PDF → It fits this whole list on a single page that prints cleanly in black and white.
Anxiety Codes (F40–F41)
Anxiety is the most commonly billed category in mental health. F40 covers phobic disorders; F41 covers other anxiety presentations.
| Code | Diagnosis |
|---|---|
| F41.1 | Generalized anxiety disorder |
| F41.0 | Panic disorder |
| F40.10 | Social anxiety disorder (social phobia) |
| F40.00 | Agoraphobia, unspecified |
| F40.218 | Other animal type phobia |
| F41.9 | Anxiety disorder, unspecified |
Depression Codes (F32–F34)
Two distinctions drive depression coding: single episode (F32.x) vs. recurrent (F33.x), and severity (.0 mild, .1 moderate, .2 severe, .9 unspecified).
| Code | Diagnosis |
|---|---|
| F32.0 | MDD, single episode, mild |
| F32.1 | MDD, single episode, moderate |
| F32.2 | MDD, single episode, severe |
| F33.0 | MDD, recurrent, mild |
| F33.1 | MDD, recurrent, moderate |
| F33.2 | MDD, recurrent, severe |
| F34.1 | Dysthymic / persistent depressive disorder |
Trauma & Adjustment Codes (F43)
The F43 family covers stress reactions, PTSD, and adjustment disorders—four of which rank in the national top 10.
| Code | Diagnosis |
|---|---|
| F43.10 | PTSD, unspecified |
| F43.11 | PTSD, acute (under 3 months) |
| F43.12 | PTSD, chronic (3+ months) |
| F43.0 | Acute stress reaction |
| F43.20 | Adjustment disorder, unspecified |
| F43.21 | Adjustment disorder with depressed mood |
| F43.22 | Adjustment disorder with anxiety |
| F43.23 | Adjustment disorder, mixed anxiety & depressed mood |
PTSD code guide →
Adjustment disorder code guide →
ADHD Codes (F90)
| Code | Diagnosis |
|---|---|
| F90.0 | ADHD, predominantly inattentive |
| F90.1 | ADHD, predominantly hyperactive-impulsive |
| F90.2 | ADHD, combined type |
| F90.9 | ADHD, unspecified |
Bipolar Codes (F31)
Bipolar codes specify the current episode type and often severity. The key split: Bipolar I (full manic episodes) vs. Bipolar II (hypomania + major depression).
| Code | Diagnosis |
|---|---|
| F31.81 | Bipolar II disorder |
| F31.9 | Bipolar disorder, unspecified |
| F31.10 | Bipolar I, current episode manic, unspecified |
| F31.30 | Bipolar I, current episode depressed, unspecified |
| F34.0 | Cyclothymic disorder |
Autism Codes (F84)
| Code | Diagnosis |
|---|---|
| F84.0 | Autistic disorder (primary ASD diagnosis) |
| F84.5 | Asperger syndrome (historical) |
| F84.9 | Pervasive developmental disorder, unspecified |
Common Z-Codes
Z-codes capture circumstances that bring someone to treatment without a diagnosed disorder—relationship issues, grief, life stressors. Useful for couples and family work.
| Code | Use |
|---|---|
| Z63.0 | Relationship problems with spouse or partner |
| Z63.4 | Disappearance or death of family member (grief) |
| Z63.5 | Disruption of family by separation or divorce |
| Z65.8 | Other psychosocial circumstances (life stressors) |
| Z71.9 | Counseling, unspecified |
Heads up: Many payers won't reimburse a Z-code as the primary diagnosis. Check your contracts before relying on these to get paid.
How to Use This Cheat Sheet
- Start specific. Reach for a precise code (F41.1) before an unspecified one (F41.9). Unspecified codes are placeholders, not defaults.
- Match the code to the service. Your diagnosis has to support medical necessity for the CPT code you bill.
- Document what backs it up. The code is the label; your note has to contain the symptoms, duration, and severity that justify it.
- Update as the picture changes. An adjustment disorder (F43.22) can evolve into GAD (F41.1)—re-code to reflect current clinical reality.
- Refresh once a year. ICD-10-CM updates every October 1. Confirm your top codes are still active.
Common Coding Mistakes to Avoid
Defaulting to "unspecified." Persistent use of .9 codes invites payer scrutiny and documentation requests. Use them only when you genuinely lack the information to be more specific.
Missing bipolar depression. Coding a depressive episode as unipolar (F32/F33) when it's actually bipolar (F31) can drive inappropriate treatment. Differentiate carefully.
Billing a deleted code. Codes get retired in the annual update. A claim with a deleted code is rejected outright—re-check your most-used codes each October.
Diagnosis–service mismatch. A long psychotherapy CPT paired with a diagnosis that doesn't support that intensity is an audit flag. Keep the code, the service, and the note aligned.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is an ICD-10 cheat sheet?
- An ICD-10 cheat sheet is a condensed, one-page reference of the diagnosis codes a clinician uses most often. For mental health therapists, that means the high-frequency F-codes (anxiety, depression, trauma, ADHD) plus a handful of Z-codes—pulled out of the full ICD-10-CM manual so you can find the right code in seconds instead of searching thousands of entries.
- Is this ICD-10 cheat sheet free to download?
- Yes. The printable PDF is completely free—no payment required. It's a single page covering the top 20 mental health diagnosis codes, designed to print cleanly and live next to your keyboard or in your charting binder.
- Are these ICD-10 codes current for 2026?
- Yes. The codes on this page reflect the ICD-10-CM code set in effect for 2026. CMS updates ICD-10-CM every October 1, so review your most-used codes once a year to make sure none have been revised or retired—billing a deleted code causes claim rejection.
- What's the difference between ICD-10 and DSM-5 codes?
- DSM-5 defines the diagnostic criteria you use to make a diagnosis; ICD-10-CM is the code set you put on the claim for billing. In practice you diagnose using DSM-5 criteria, then bill with the matching ICD-10 code. The DSM-5-TR lists the ICD-10 code alongside each disorder to make the crosswalk easy.
- Can I use a cheat sheet code without further documentation?
- No—the code is only the label. Your progress note still has to contain the clinical observations that justify it (symptoms, duration, severity, functional impact). A cheat sheet speeds up code selection; it doesn't replace documentation that supports medical necessity.
This cheat sheet is a quick-reference tool, not billing or legal advice. Always confirm codes against the current ICD-10-CM code set and your individual payer requirements. For full guidance on each code, see the complete ICD-10 mental health guide.