198 Anxiety Disorders
Specify if:
Code based on the phobic stimulus:
300.29 (F40.218)  Animal (e.g., spiders, insects, dogs).
300.29 (F40.228) Natural environment  (e.g., heights, storms, water).
300.29 (F40.23x) Blood-injection-injury  (e.g., needles, invasive medical procedures).
Coding note: Select specific ICD-10-CM code as follows: F40.230 fear of blood;
F40.231 fear of injections and transfusions; F40.232  fear of other medical care; or
F40.233 fear of injury.
300.29 (F40.248) Situational  (e.g., airplanes, elevators, enclosed places).
300.29 (F40.298) Other  (e.g., situations that may lead to choking or vomiting; in chil-
dren, e.g., loud sounds or costumed characters).
Coding note:  When more than one phobic stimulus is present, code all ICD-10-CM codes
that apply (e.g., for fear of snakes and flying, F40.218 specific phobia, animal, and
F40.248 specific phobia, situational).
Specifiers
It is common for individuals to have multiple  specific phobias. The average individual with
specific phobia fears three objects or situatio ns, and approximately 75% of individuals with
specific phobia fear more than on e situation or object. In such cases, multiple specific phobia
diagnoses, each with its own diagnostic code reflecting the phobic stimulus, would need to be
given. For example, if an individual fears thunderstorms and flying , then two diagnoses
would be given: specific phobia, natural en vironment, and specific phobia, situational.