Some stutterers are extroverts and feel less shame when in social situations. Some are more internal and any stuttering incident can shamefully live forever in our heads. I’m a member of the latter. I live alone in my early 30s. As a kid I learned to enjoy my own company because I stayed very quiet. What I can tell you is people are always hungry for friendship and connection, whether 17 years old or 70. You are not too old for friends. People speak to me almost everyday at the gym- I hardly talk back and they keep talking lol. My next suggestion is weird for someone non-religious. Church is a great place to meet people who are “required” to be accepting and kind. I loathe church, but I do know that some people there genuinely are trying to be good people. Besides that, it’s very difficult/almost impossible if you have a severe stutter. If that’s the case, I would suggest a support group.