The think that if you are a patient in hospital, that it is the height of rudeness and intrusiveness to attampt to chit chat with your roommates

Headphones! I didn't have any sodding headphones! Emergency admission - no reading glasses, books, toiletries, earplugs, sleep mask and surrounded by women who could talk the hind leg off a donkey and rarely stopped to draw breath. As if that wasn't enough, six hours of visitors every day. They came in shifts. Always two visitors at every bed, for six hours. I have strong autistic traits; I like my own company and I value silence. The medical care was great but the chat was never ending. I was so glad to come home to the quiet and peace.

I'd say it's basic manners to be courteous to others - to ignore everyone and put your headphones in is ignorant. You sound like the one who is rude

Yabu. It's kind of nice and normal but I get you may not want to talk if feeling rough. But rude? No.

I think either option is fine. If you go with the chatty option though you start slow and take signals eg start with a smile and if reciprocated a small comment etc. you don’t just go fully in with a Spanish Inquisition. If people have curtains shut, headphones in, reading etc then you leave them to it. And if you’re the chatty type I think you need to avoid disturbing people who need quiet.

No I didn't miss that post, I was just knackered last night and not really paying attention to what I had and hadn't replied to.

I do drink pints of water in hospital but I would struggle with eating anything at all that's provided or drinking tea and coffee. Probably because I get so insanely anxious in hospital.

And honestly I would never, ever, be intentionally rude to someone who is looking out for me such as a nurse.

It's not an ill persons responsibility to make people feel less lonely sorry. Possibly the staff have this responsibility but fellow patients are not to be used as some kind of talk therapy surely? I have also seen men starting conversations with young women in waiting rooms and the woman obviously feeling uncomfortable with the conversation.(oncology waiting area).

hospitals should be planned with privacy in mind.

Of you are ill and wish silent time you are perfectly reasonable to expect people not to speak to you especially if a topic that may come up is illness and discussion amongst those lines can increase anxiety. Just because you are in hospital does not give everyone the right to start small talk with random strangers. I think the majority of people do not like unsolicited conversation on the tube for example so Why is this OK gonna hospital?

I have been in a packed waiting room and subject to small talk which I found irritating and certainly did not improve my hospital experience but the medical staff seemed to be happy with this level of 'banter'.

A bit of social distancing is why many people of they can go private.

You don’t have to try chit chatting with people if you don’t feel well or you don’t want to. Completely your prerogative to keep your curtains closed and keep to yourself.

You can politely say “I’m really sorry but I don’t feel very well and I’d rather not talk right now.”

I think most posters were just trying to point out to you that many people are different to you, many people like chatting, many people think ignoring each other would be rude. Just trying to point out that other people are different to you and think that other things are polite/rude than you.

You don’t need to change and become like them. You just need to understand that other people are different to you and are most likely just trying to be friendly and while away their own boredom. But it’s totally ok for you to not join in.

Yes he came in many times, he is a really lovey guy and they have a great relationship.

I guess you're like me. I use noise cancelling headphones and make it obvious. I pull the curtains too if I can. In ICU and HDU you can't but they aren't usually chatty on there.
I'm not rude, but Am introverted, quite private and really aren't interested in their next door neighbour's great niece's cat.
If you haven't experienced long frequent hospital stays you can't judge the OP. It's like being on a flight sitting next to an annoying neighbour on steroids. It's also normally the least ill who make the most noise.

I think you are being unreasonable. It’s up to the individual. If you don’t want to then fine but don’t begrudge others.
Sometimes there are people who may go to hospital and that it’s the first time in a long time they have actually spoken to anyone. There are people in this world who are very lonely and barely get out!

You sound like a miserable person, to be honest.

Perhaps you'd be happier if you talked to other people more?

I've only been in hospital after giving birth, 3 days with my eldest. The camaraderie and bonding with the other mums on the ward is something I remember fondly - we looked out for each other and comforted each other when one of us was weepy, kept an eye on each other's babies when we nipped to the loo or for a wash etc. It was nice!

My DH was in hospital for a few weeks recently, he was very ill and in a lot of pain and frankly quite scared. The other patients on his ward were two older ladies who chatted to him and showed him a lot of kindness, were reassuring and kept his spirits up. He was really grateful that they were there.

Get well soon OP.
Hope you're feeling better tomorrow.🍀

Not downright rude at all, I'd say it's to be expected. Surely chatting to people passes the time of day, which I would've thought would be even more essential in hospital? As others have said, it may help some take their mind off their illness.

You say: 'I am not being unfriendly here, I am just treating other people how I would want to be treated.'
Respectfully, what you're describing IS really unfriendly. Of course you're not obliged to be friendly - but if you're choosing not to be then at least own it.

I'm not one for small Talk but will participate if someone else starts. The two times I've spent night in hospital post-op the roommates chatted me. One a bit too much and the other an appropriate amount of time.

YABVU.
It is literally you who is being rude, not other people who are being friendly, and distracting one another, passing the time of day.

Of course, it is your prerogative to be rude if you want to. Normally folk who don't want to engage with anyone would pull their curtains round them, and / or put ear phones on to make it clear they were listening to something else.

A lot of hospital wards only have one window. Studies show that not being able to see natural light is one of the causes of hospital induced delirium (an extreme and dangerous form of confusion) as it's hard to tell what time of day it is.
Keeping your curtains closed means the people further down the ward may not be able to see the window.
If you need them for privacy or a procedure that's different, but to keep them closed all the time is very unfair.
Of course you are entitled to keep yourself to yourself should you wish, but your choices should not cause others harm.

I'm with you op, during any stays I've ever had in hospital I try to keep my curtain closed and avoid eye contact/small talk, but there are always those that relish it and spoil the peace. I think it's rude and intrusive, I wouldn't walk up to someone in the street and ask about their medical issues, so why is it ok just because someone happens to be sharing a bay? It's not! I've been private a few times and it's lovely, private room with a closable door even the staff knock.

Did you miss the post from a nurse about how not chatting doesn’t make you small etc.? As a someone who worked in healthcare myself I can tell you talking and listening to patients is all part and parcel of assessing them. Additionally, they are human beings whose whole job is based on interacting with their patients. If I was nursing someone who refused all food and drink I’d be extremely worried about them and would wonder what was going on. If nothing physical then I would question whether there was a mental health issue. This is where communicating with the patient might be useful in either reassuring me that nothing was amiss or highlighting there was a difficulty somewhere. Please don’t underestimate the importance of communicating with health care professionals. It might save your life sometime.

Yes, but it's better than chit chatting to the person next to you on a long flight; you can at least draw the curtains.

Try putting on some earphones or eye shades or reading a book.
Don't be afraid of saying that you'd really like some quiet now. "It's nothing personal but I'm very tired."

I agree, I like not much chit chat in hospital and I never open myself up to much chit chat from their visitors. Otherwise, they feel that they are rude not to chat and they chat every visit.

This.

I was in a few times in a double room and sometimes my room mate and I talked away the time and both said what a good distraction it was. Have also been in a room where there is just a hello and never talk if the other person isn’t. I really agree it is reading the room.

This.
You don't get to decide everyone should think the same way as you.
Keep your curtains drawn .

Have you always lacked empathy? A lot of people in hospital are lonely, scared perhaps confused, home sick,.making chit chat and getting to know someone probably helps make them feel a little better.