Sometimes when I go into chat, including the 2 times I went in there yesterday, it was basically a case of everyone saying hello, me saying hello back to everyone, and then they all carried on their conversation without a 'how are you doing?'. I can't (and I know others are the same) interrupt to start talking about my melodrama.
I know that sometimes just a regular chat is all people need so they go on just to talk, which is fine because I do the same a lot too, but sometimes others really need to get some stuff off their chest.