Locations
Office
Lake Oswego, OR
Phone
Insurances accepted
Oregon Health Plan
Health Net of Oregon
About
Bio
I have extensive background in all ages and work primarily in community mental health centers
SpecialtiesDoctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Doctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.
Psychiatry
Child Psychiatry
Doctor Q&A
223 Answers
290 Agrees
The number of answers this doctor has agreed with.
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
No: Autism is an illness that involves difficulties in relating socially to other people. It has been shown to affect different areas of the brain. Adhd i... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 25-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
No: There is no evidence that bipolar disorder comes from attachment difficulties. It is generally a genetic illness.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 35-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
Yes: In children and adults with adhd, some of the most common co-occurring disorders are anxiety disorders. The reasons for that are many, including gene... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 35-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
Yes: Anyone can refuse treatment. You cannot force a person to take a pill or go to therapy or even to get shock treatment. However, if that person is rea... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
Depends: In general the psychosis resulting from most substance use resolves itself after the substance is out of the person's system. However, chronic use of... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 39-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
PTSD: The symptoms of ptsd include flashbacks (bad memories that happen out of the blue or from a small trigger that feel like the event is actually happeni... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 31-year-old male asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
Depends: Black tea contains a fair amount of caffeine, which is a diuretic and can lead to dehydration. However, it is also dissolved in water that you are dri... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 35-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
Yes: There is no reason not to give a child with autism a flu shot. The only possible reason to not give a child a flu shot is if the child has an allergy ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 34-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
Treatment: Treat your depression. If you are truly eating to overcome your feelings of depression, then you will either not improve or start another, possibly mo... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 37-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
Depends: It depends on the side effects that you have. There are many other options, including the use of short-acting stimulants. Adderall and Concerta are lo... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 33-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
No but Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine) yes : Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine) is an Adderall based medication that is smoother, longer acting and less likely to be abused. It is made by attaching a pro... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
Depends: Anger control problems and irritability are usually symptoms of an underlying psychiatric illness, like ptsd, adhd or bipolar disorder. While there a... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 23-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
Depends: If you truly care about and love your fiancé you will support your fiancé through his/her illness. Know that bipolar disorder is treatable and if your... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 53-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
Maybe: There are some medications that help with symptoms of ptsd, like ssri's (prozac, zoloft, paxil, (paroxetine) etc) but these only help with some sympto... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
A good interview : A mental health assessment involves an interview by a mental health expert to help identify your problem. It usually starts with open ended questions ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 33-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
No: The definition of a hallucination is a sensory experience that is felt coming from outside but is really an internal experience. This includes hearing... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 27-year-old male asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
No: Antidepressants like Prozac (fluoxetine) have not been shown to worsen adhd symptoms. However, if you are on medication for adhd, perhaps it is lower... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 45-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
Show him/ get help: Show him with specific examples how his medication has helped him and how he behaves with and without the medicine. Also ask him why he stopped. The s... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 34-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
More time: If you have an iep (individualized educational plan) you can tailor the needs you think your child has and that gives you flexibility to work with tea... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 37-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
Activities: Remain active. Exercise. Maintain social connections with friends and colleagues. Volunteer in something that you enjoy and/or can help your resume. T... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 44-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
Work with school: You should request an educational evaluation to consider special assistance at school. Ask at school for an iep or 504 evaluation. Your doctor can fil... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 47-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
Depends: The effects of a medication like Prozac (fluoxetine) depend on why you are taking it. In cases of depression, a positive effect can be seen in as lit... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 18-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
Call your doctor: It is important to be able to explain to your doctor what kind of breathing problem you are having. Usually it comes from having more anxiety or if yo... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 38-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
No: If someone tells you they have an imaginary friend, then the person knows that the friend is imaginary. True hallucinations and delusions are very re... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 52-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
Yes: Symptoms of bulimia nervosa include having strong urge to eat large amounts of food in one setting to the point of feeling excessively full. This the... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 32-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
Case by case: Teachers are not allowed to screen for medical illnesses. However, they may see a child that has particular difficulties in class and advise the pare... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A male asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
Soon after: You can start the mirtazapine right after stopping the diazepam. The diazepam should be out of your system in a day
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
3.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 21-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
Maybe: While controversial, in a number of cases, children who have adhd do not need medications during the holidays. Generally, adhd affects most, if not a... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 22-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
No: There is actually no evidence that anxiety itself affects your teeth from grinding a lot. Some people do suffer from teeth grinding called bruxism, b... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 19-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
Find coping skills: There are many ways to work through depression, depending on how severe it is. Exercise is one of the best proven "natural" antidepressants. However,... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 19-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
Yes: 20 mg of Amitriptyline is a very small dose. The average antidepressant dose is 100 mg. Just continue with the prescribed dose but you should be ok.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 33-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
Depends: Most individuals who experience tics in childhood will have them disappear as they grow older. Statistically, 1/3 will outgrow the tics while another ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.8k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
Depends: Different individuals respond to ssri's, like venlafaxine, differently. Generally, venlafaxine makes people a little more energized, and so they shoul... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 46-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
No: There is no interaction between the 2 medications so they can be taken at the same time.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
Exposure therapy: While I have not heard of the term "fear elimination" therapy, it sounds like a form of exposure therapy, which remains the primary treatment for phob... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 38-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
Many things: A person's memory is actually made of different parts and each part has different possible causes for memory loss. In general, memory problems can occ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.9k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 41-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
No: Sertraline HCl just describes the molecule that sertraline is attached to to make it stable (in this case hydrogen chloride).
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 40-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
Structure: There is evidence that creating structure to your life, also called rhythm therapy, can minimize your episodes. This is especially true of sleep which... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 47-year-old member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
Never: There are no known "natural" remedies for adhd. Some studies have looked at omega-3 fatty acids and at restricting artificial dyes on food but these h... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
6.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 23-year-old female asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
Maybe: If your insomnia is the product of a mania from bipolar disorder, then the medication combination you list is appropriate. However, if you are still h... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 33-year-old female asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
No clear relation: There is no clear relationship known between bipolar disorder and cortisol levels. While a number of studies have shown a correlation between cortis... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 22-year-old male asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
No problem: You didn't ask a question but i assume you're worried about your bp. It was likely a 1 time thing from being sick and/or nervous but it's a good idea ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 39-year-old female asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
None of those: I am not sure what you mean by damage to the optic nerve. If a doctor has found this damage then it has nothing to do with the diagnosis of schizophre... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 34-year-old male asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
Anxiety: You likely suffer from an anxiety disorder in which you worry a lot about your health. The problem with that is that it leads to a lot of tests that a... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 34-year-old female asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
Depends: What do you mean by this? If you are having symptoms that are consistent with lithium toxicity then it is very important to do 2 things: hydrate well ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A member asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
No : There is no relationship between libido and a vasectomy. It simply prevents the sperm from being released during ejaculation. So it has nothing to do ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.2k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 18-year-old male asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
None: There is no interaction between nicotine and alprazolam. The level of one does not affect the level of the other.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 41-year-old male asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
Depends: Mirtazapine is a serotonin-based antidepressant that is only fda-approved for major depression. That means that there is no specific dosing for anxiet... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 32-year-old male asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
Unknown: Because marijuana is a schedule i substance, research on its effects on other medications has been very limited. As such it is unknown whether combini... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 17-year-old female asked:
Dr. Alfredo Sotoanswered
Psychiatry 28 years experience
Very treatable: Cognitive behavioral therapy, or cbt, had been found to be very effective in treatment of specific phobias. It is important to identify a therapist w... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
4.4k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
TestimonialsRecommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
Recommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.
4
Recommendations
726
Thank you notes
May 12, 2014
Well trained,experienced,knowledgeable,bi-lingual
Psychiatrist! A great contributor to HealthTap. Responses to questions informative.
Sep 16, 2013
Thanks for your contribution at Health Tap
HealthTap member
Mar 30, 2015
Dr. Soto is an amazing doctor! #nationaldoctorsday2015 #virtualflower1
HealthTap member
Thank you, your answer or tip was very helpful! It just seemed wierd, like he smokes like a tiny but and everyone else has way more and can act normal but he gets crazy. Thank you!!
HealthTap member
Thanks for your quick reply! Really appreciative on this area with your assistance and vast expertise in the field of this type of question. Totally will utilize info.
HealthTap member
This was very helpful. Thanks! I was on Ritalin for 15 years and now have these symptoms. Is there anything to increase the dopamine level?
Education & Training
Medical/Graduate school
Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, VA
Graduated 1995MD
Residency
GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIV HOSPITAL
Awards
Top Psychiatrist , Second Place, Oregon - Winter
2013
Top Psychiatrist , Second Place, Oregon - Summer
2013
Top Doctor, First Place, Oregon - Spring
2016
Affiliations
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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