I wish I could say it gets easier with age (I’m almost 30), but it really doesn’t. You can have online friends, yes, but good luck getting them to hang out with you in person. I have a severe stutter, and because of that, the vast majority of people are uncomfortable around me. Can’t blame them, I suppose, when I get stuck for 30+ seconds on every word. People want instant entertainment from companionship and just don’t have the patience to deal with someone who has a speech (or hearing) disorder. At work, my coworkers avoid me. They’ll talk to me briefly if I talk to them first, but they never ever approach me first or try to get chummy with me like they do with everyone else. I’m really thinking about learning ASL and joining the deaf community as I think we face much of the same barriers in terms of social isolation, and I can maybe make a few friends who won’t be embarrassed hanging out with me in public.