2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code R46.89Other symptoms and signs involving appearance and behavior
ICD-10-CM R46.89
R46.89 is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for other symptoms and signs involving appearance and behavior. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026). The code is not accepted as a principal diagnosis by the Medicare Code Editor. As a symptom code, it should not be used as a principal diagnosis once a related definitive diagnosis has been established. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Symptoms of mental and substance use conditions.
Code Identity
ICD-10-CM Code
R46.89
Billable Status
Yes — Valid for Submission
Code Describes
Other symptoms and signs involving appearance and behavior
Short Description
Other symptoms and signs involving appearance and behavior
Same as the full description in the CMS dataset.
Code Classification
ChapterR00–R99Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified
This CodeR46.89Other symptoms and signs involving appearance and behavior
Code EditsBilling
Medicare Code Editor checks that affect claim validity for R46.89.
There are selected codes that describe a circumstance which influences an individual's health status but not a current illness or injury, or codes that are not specific manifestations but may be due to an underlying cause. These codes are considered unacceptable as a principal diagnosis.
Approximate SynonymsGuidance
Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.
- 10p partial monosomy syndrome
- Abnormal craving for drugs
- Abnormal illness behavior
- Abnormal social behavior
- Absenteeism
- Abusive behavior
- Abusive behavior towards animals
- Abusive behavior towards people
- Accident prone
- Acting conspicuously in public
- Actions not completed
- Adjunctive behavior
- Adult behavior alteration
- Agonistic behavior
- Alteration in nutrition
- Alteration in nutrition: less than body requirements
- Altered behavior
- Altered behavior due to substance use
- Ambitendence
- Antisocial behavior
- Anxious resistant attachment
- Approach avoidance behavior
- Approach-approach conflict
- Argumentative behavior
- Arrogant character
- Asocial behavior
- Attachment behavior
- Attention seeking behavior
- Attracting adverse public attention
- Automatic compliance
- Avoidance behavior
- Behavior ignored
- Behavior involving feces
- Behavior negatively reinforced
- Behavior not reinforced
- Behavior poses safety risk to staff
- Behavior positively reinforced
- Behavior reinforced
- Behavior showing reduced motor activity
- Beyond parental control
- Broody behavior
- Butting
- Buying drugs
- Cannibalism
- Careless character
- Carphologia
- Challenging behavior
- Character trait finding of anger control
- Character trait finding of conscientiousness
- Character trait finding of co-operativeness and compliance
- Character trait finding of decisiveness
- Character trait finding of effort at work
- Character trait finding of flexibility
- Character trait finding of impulse control
- Character trait finding of level of assertiveness
- Character trait finding of level of curiosity
- Character trait finding of level of pride
- Character trait finding of level of sociability
- Character trait finding of level of suggestibility
- Character trait finding of orderliness
- Character trait finding of personal organization
- Character trait finding of sadistic tendency
- Character trait finding of task completion
- Child behavior alteration
- Clenching teeth
- Clinging behavior
- Clothes need changing
- Complex mannerisms - behavior
- Compliant behavior
- Concerned about appearance
- Conflict
- Conflict avoiding behavior
- Confrontational behavior
- Conversation content - finding
- Conversation content bizarre
- Conversation content inappropriate
- Coprolalia
- Craves for drugs
- Criminal behavior
- Cruel behavior
- Dealing with drugs
- Decreased withdrawn behavior
- Defecating in public
- Defiant behavior
- Deficit behavior
- Deletion of part of chromosome 10
- Delinquent behavior
- Demanding behavior
- Destructive motor activity
- Developmental delay, overweight, facial dysmorphism, behavioral abnormalities syndrome
- Difficult to manage behavior
- Difficulty controlling aggression
- Difficulty controlling behavior
- Difficulty preventing undesirable behavior
- Diogenes syndrome
- Discipline problem
- Disinhibited behavior
- Disinhibition caused by ethanol
- Disorganized and controlling attachment
- Disorganized attachment
- Disorganized infant response to environment
- Dissocial character
- Distractibility
- Disturbance in appearance
- Disturbance in physical behavior
- Dominating behavior
- Drug-related offending behavior
- Easily distracted
- Eating feces
- Eccentric behavior
- Eccentric character
- Eliminating in public
- Embarrassing behavior
- Erratic character
- Essential tremor
- Euphoric sociability
- Excess behavior
- Excessive craving for drugs
- Excessive exercise
- Excessive exercising to lose weight
- Excessive spitting
- Excessively proud character
- Excitement
- Exercise history finding
- Explosive behavior
- Extrapsychic conflict
- Extrinsic motivation
- Exuberance
- Eye poking
- Facial dysmorphism, developmental delay, behavioral abnormalities syndrome due to 10p11.21p12.31 microdeletion
- Faddy behavior
- Falsification
- Fantastic anecdotes
- Financially abusive behavior
- Finding of cleanliness of nail
- Finding of fluid intake
- Finding of general nail condition
- Finding of nail hygiene
- Finding related to ability to control aggression
- Finding related to ability to control behavior
- Finding related to ability to prevent undesirable behavior
- Finding relating to laughing
- Finding relating to reinforcement of behavior
- Finding relating to rules and boundaries
- Finger-flicking
- Flapping movements of hands
- Flicking hands near eyes
- Flicking objects near eyes
- Follows drug-related rituals
- Follows same drug-related routine every day
- Foolish business investment
- Foot licking
- Foot tapping
- Foreign body chewing
- Found wandering the streets
- Freezing in one posture
- Frenzy
- Frozen watchfulness
- Giving away money
- Giving away property
- Grandiose character
- Grinding teeth
- Habit
- Habits involving hair - finding
- Habitual eating of own hair
- Habitual hair twisting
- Hair-splitting
- Hang-glider
- Harm avoidance behavior
- Has a routine of drug-related activities
- Head pressing
- Hereditary essential tremor
- High level of egocentricity
- Histrionic behavior
- Histrionic character
- Hypervigilant behavior
- Hypomanic behavior
- Illness behavior - finding
- Immature behavior
- Impairment of acceptance of health status
- Impairment of psychological status
- Impatient character
- Inadequate food diet
- Inappropriate behavior
- Inappropriate behavior for age
- Inappropriate elimination
- Inappropriate illness behavior
- Inappropriate laughter
- Inappropriate self disclosure
- Inappropriate sexual talk
- Inappropriate shouting
- Inappropriate singing
- Inappropriate urination
- Inappropriate verbal response
- Incongruous laughing
- Indecisive character
- Indifference
- Infant behavior alteration
- Inhibited behavior
- Insecure attachment
- Insufficient fluid intake - finding
- Insufficient intake of food and water with self neglect
- Interpretations of behavior finding
- Intrapsychic conflict
- Intrusive behavior
- Invades others' personal space
- Irresistible craving for drugs
- Irresponsible character
- Irreverent behavior
- Lack of emotional response
- Lacks desire for self-care
- Laughs spontaneously
- Level of egocentricity - finding
- Level of neuroticism - finding
- Litigious character
- Low level of egocentricity
- Low level of neuroticism
- Low level of suggestibility
- Making impulsive remarks
- Making inappropriate approaches towards others
- Making insensitive remarks
- Maladaptive behavior
- Maladaptive behavior associated with physical illness
- Manipulative behavior
- Mannerism
- Marfanoid physique
- Masochistic behavior
- Mentally abusive behavior
- Microlight flier
- Mildly abnormal behavior
- Mimicry
- Mitmachen
- Moderate level of egocentricity
- Moderate level of neuroticism
- More witty than usual
- Mussitation
- Nails dirty
- Negativism
- Neglect of clothes
- Neglect of common dangers
- Neglect of dental care
- Neglect of physical health
- Neglect of physical illness
- Non-compliant behavior
- Non-compliant character
- Nutritional deficiency state
- Object biting
- Obstinate character
- Older adult behavior alteration
- Oral hygiene finding
- Over-affectionate
- Over-compliant character
- Overgenerosity
- Overly assertive character
- Overlying behavior
- Parafunctional habit
- Parental overdependence
- Patronizing behavior
- Perfectionistic character
- Poor oral hygiene
- Possession of drugs
- Posturing behavior
- Predation
- Predictable behavior
- Preoccupation with appearance
- Preoccupation with body weight
- Primary reinforcement of behavior
- Profligate behavior
- Progressive essential tremor, speech impairment, facial dysmorphism, intellectual disability, abnormal behavior syndrome
- Proximity seeking behavior
- Psychic conflict
- Racially abusive behavior
- Rebellious character
- Reckless character
- Reckless driving
- Repetitious behavior
- Repetitive complex twisting movements
- Repetitive complex twisting movements of fingers
- Repetitive complex twisting of objects near eyes
- Repetitive flapping movements
- Repetitive flicking movements
- Resistance to change
- Resistance to changes in environment
- Resistance to changes in household contents
- Resistance to changes in patterns of activity
- Resistiveness to physical care
- Restrictive behavior
- Rigid character
- Risk activity involvement
- Risk prone health behavior
- Scalp rubbing
- Schizoid character
- Screaming
- Secondary reinforcement of behavior
- Self related adjustment AND/OR maladjustment
- Self-neglect
- Self-referential character
- Self-stimulative behavior
- Selling drugs
- Sensation seeking
- Sense of entitlement
- Severe intellectual disability, short stature, behavioral abnormalities, facial dysmorphism syndrome
- Severely abnormal behavior
- Shouting - finding
- Situation avoidance behavior
- Social behavior
- Social disinhibition
- Socially inappropriate behavior
- Solitary stealing
- Spitting at other person
- Stealing food from home
- Stealing from fellow residents
- Stealing from home
- Stillness
- Stubborn character
- Submissive behavior
- Swearing
- Telling untruths
- Tends not to be sociable
- Tends not to plan ahead
- Tends not to work hard
- Tends to abandon tasks
- Tends to allow anger to build up
- Tends to appear indifferent to praise or criticism
- Tends to avoid group social interactions
- Tends to avoid one to one social interactions
- Tends to be critical of others
- Tends to be disorganized
- Tends to be preoccupied with order
- Tends to be sensitive to criticism
- Tends to bear grudges
- Tends to blame others
- Tends to exaggerate emotional expression inappropriately
- Tends to fail to learn from adverse experience
- Tends to lack conscientiousness
- Tends to lack curiosity
- Tends to lie repeatedly without reason
- Tends to manipulate others
- Tends to procrastinate
- Tends to resent authority
- Tends to take pleasure in the suffering of others
- Tends to turn anger against self
- Tends to wear unfashionable clothes
- Theft
- Tongue chewing
- Tongue-rolling
- Trampling
- Twirling
- Unable to adhere to rules and boundaries
- Unable to control aggression
- Unable to control behavior
- Unable to prevent undesirable behavior
- Unassertive character
- Uncertain behavior
- Uncontrollable excitement
- Uncontrolled behavior
- Uncooperative behavior
- Uncooperative character
- Undue priority given to drug-related activities
- Unkempt appearance
- Unpredictable behavior
- Unusual change in behavior
- Urinating in public
- Vacuum activity
- Verbally abusive behavior
- Very difficult to manage behavior
- WAC-related facial dysmorphism, developmental delay, behavioral abnormalities syndrome
- Wandering
- Wanders at night
- Wanders during the day
- Waxy flexibility
- Wearing inappropriate footwear
- Wearing of nails
- Withdrawn behavior
Index to Diseases and InjuriesGuidance
Alphabetical index entries that point to this code.
- specified NEC - R46.89
- Behavior
- specified NEC - R46.89
- Symptoms NEC - R68.89
- appearance NEC - R46.89
- behavior NEC - R46.89
External Cause of Injuries IndexGuidance
References for this code in the External Cause of Injuries Index.
- Appearance
- specified NEC
- Behavior
- specified NEC
- Symptoms NEC
- involving
- appearance NEC
- Symptoms NEC
- involving
- behavior NEC
Clinical ClassificationClinical
AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.
CCSR SYM008
Symptoms of mental and substance use conditions
Default principal diagnosis: inpatient No · outpatient Yes
Clinical InformationClinical
Social Behavior
any behavior caused by or affecting another individual or group usually of the same species.Social Behavior Disorders
behaviors which are at variance with the expected social norm and which affect other individuals.Agonistic Behavior
any behavior associated with conflict between two individuals.Negativism
state of mind or behavior characterized by extreme skepticism and persistent opposition or resistance to outside suggestions or advice. (apa, thesaurus of psychological index terms, 1994)Essential Tremor
a relatively common disorder characterized by a fairly specific pattern of tremors which are most prominent in the upper extremities and neck, inducing titubations of the head. the tremor is usually mild, but when severe may be disabling. an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance may occur in some families (i.e., familial tremor). (mov disord 1988;13(1):5-10)Cannibalism
eating other individuals of one's own species.Cytophagocytosis
the engulfment and degradation of cells by other cells.Absenteeism
chronic absence from work or other duty.Criminal Behavior
conduct leading to commission of unlawful acts.Screaming
a loud, vociferous cry or yell; it can be the result of many emotions, including pain, excitement, or fear.Essential Tremor
a movement disorder characterized by involuntary and rhythmic shaking of parts of the body, most often the hands or arms, that can be triggered or worsened by physical or environmental stressors. essential tremor may be progressive and can be inherited in an autosomal dominant manner.
Patient EducationClinical
Mental Disorders
Mental disorders (or mental illnesses) are conditions that affect your thinking, feeling, mood, and behavior. They may happen over a short period of time or come and go. Some can be chronic (long-lasting). They can affect your ability to relate to others and function each day..
The full article covers:
- What are mental disorders?
- What are some types of mental disorders?
- What causes mental disorders?
- Who is at risk for mental disorders?
- How are mental disorders diagnosed?
- What are the treatments for mental disorders?
Read the full article at MedlinePlus
Courtesy of MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Convert R46.89 to ICD-9-CMHistory
Code HistoryHistory
FY 2016AddedAdded to the ICD-10-CM code setEffective October 1, 2015, the first year of ICD-10-CM.
FY 2017–2025No changes
FY 2026CurrentCurrent code set, no changesEffective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
Questions About R46.89Overview
Is R46.89 (Other symptoms and signs involving appearance and behavior) a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report other symptoms and signs involving appearance and behavior on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
Can R46.89 be a principal diagnosis?
No. The Medicare Code Editor rejects this code as a principal diagnosis because other symptoms and signs involving appearance and behavior describes a circumstance that influences health status rather than a current illness. Report it as a secondary diagnosis.
What is the ICD-9 equivalent of R46.89?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, other symptoms and signs involving appearance and behavior converts to ICD-9-CM 799.89 (ill-define condition NEC) and V40.39 (oth spc behavior problem). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.
Footnotes
[1] Not chronic - A diagnosis code that does not fit the criteria for chronic condition (duration, ongoing medical treatment, and limitations) is considered not chronic. Some codes designated as not chronic are acute conditions. Other diagnosis codes that indicate a possible chronic condition, but for which the duration of the illness is not specified in the code description (i.e., we do not know the condition has lasted 12 months or longer) also are considered not chronic.
