The surveys conducted by charity YoungMinds showed three-quarters of young people questioned were offered no support while waiting to be treated.
Government figures show that 4,842 young people with mental health problems waited more that 13 weeks for treatment last year.
Sarah Brennan, chief executive of YoungMinds, said: "Being diagnosed with mental illness, receiving treatment, seeing doctors and psychiatrists and being admitted into hospital can be confusing and brings up all sorts of questions.
"Young people need to know what is happening to them, the risks associated with treatments and the right questions to ask."
The poll also showed that half the young people questioned said doctors failed to explain to side effects of treatments and three-quarters would not know what to do if they were unhappy with their treatment.
YoungMinds, which receives funding from Comic Relief, is launching myheadhurts.org.uk, a website for young people with mental health problems.
The site will provide information to young people diagnosed with anxiety, self-harm, conduct disorder, depression, ADHD and eating disorders.
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