2025 ICD-10-CM code F40.10
(Active) Effective Date: N/A Revision Date: N/A Deletion Date: N/A Mental disorder - Anxiety, dissociative, stress-related, somatoform and other nonpsychotic mental disorders (F40-F48) Mental, Behavioral and Neurodevelopmental disorders (F01-F99) Feed
Unspecified social phobia; extreme fear of social situations where one feels judged.
Medical necessity is established when a patient experiences persistent and significant social anxiety that interferes with their daily life, work, social relationships, or overall well-being.The severity warrants professional intervention through therapy or medication to alleviate the symptoms and improve the patient's quality of life.
The clinical responsibility involves a thorough evaluation of the patient's history, symptoms, and behavioral patterns to diagnose the severity and type of social phobia.Treatment planning may include cognitive behavioral therapy, desensitization or exposure therapy, social skills training, group therapy, and/or medication (sedatives or hypnotics).
- Mental, Behavioral and Neurodevelopmental disorders (F01-F99)
- Anxiety, dissociative, stress-related, somatoform and other nonpsychotic mental disorders (F40-F48)
In simple words: Unspecified social phobia means having a really strong fear of situations where you feel like people are watching and judging you.This fear can make it hard to go to parties, eat in public, meet new people, or speak in front of others.It can even cause physical symptoms like sweating or shaking.Treatment often involves therapy and sometimes medication.
Unspecified social phobia, also known as social anxiety disorder or social neurosis, is characterized by intense and persistent fear of social situations where the individual anticipates negative judgment or scrutiny from others.The diagnosis of "unspecified" indicates that the clinician has not specified whether the phobia is specific to certain situations or generalized across various social contexts. Patients may exhibit a wide range of symptoms, including anticipatory anxiety, blushing, sweating, nausea, trembling, difficulty speaking, and avoidance of social situations.The severity can significantly impact work, social, and personal relationships. Diagnosis relies on a thorough patient history, symptom assessment, and behavioral observation; no specific laboratory tests exist.
Example 1: A 25-year-old woman avoids attending social gatherings due to an overwhelming fear of public speaking and being judged negatively by others. She experiences significant anxiety even thinking about such events., A 17-year-old boy consistently refuses to participate in class discussions or group projects, displaying intense anxiety and avoidance behaviors in classroom settings., A 40-year-old man struggles to maintain relationships due to extreme shyness and fear of meeting new people, limiting his social interactions and personal growth.
Detailed documentation should include the patient's history of social anxiety, specific situations that trigger anxiety, symptom severity, duration, and impact on daily life.Also include details of the diagnostic process and treatment plan, including therapy types and any medications prescribed.
** This code should be used when the provider cannot further specify the type of social phobia.
- Payment Status: Active
- Specialties:Psychiatry, Psychology
- Place of Service:Office, Outpatient Hospital, Inpatient Hospital, Other Place of Service