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Because they are linguistic tools that allow an individual to express their particular points or motivations. And people use tools that are most convenient to them.
Our brains don't work as fast as our mouths do. At least mine doesn't, ya know? At the end of the day, I just need a few extra seconds, like, to gather my thoughts and then I'm all... okay. Don't get me wrong. I like spicy meatballs but I can't, like, have them every day. But I digress. We were talking about your grandma being in the hospital.
Just kidding around. But I understand what you're saying. I do my best not to use filler words when I'm speaking with another person, and especially if I'm speaking to a group of people. Nothing makes peoples' eyes glaze over faster than listening to a bunch of , "like, ya know, anyway..."
However, I am guilty of using the word, "actually" way too often and am trying to break myself of this annoying habit. It doesn't actually mean much and I should actually stop peppering my speech with it. Mmmm. Pepper. Meatballs. What were we talking about, again?
Your examples, though, have some meaning. What would you substitute to convey the same meaning?
"I digress" lets the listener know you are aware of getting off-topic (to use a C-D expression). And hopefully are now getting back "on".
I have stuff that annoys me too, though. DH says 100 times a day: "The bottom line is...."
I've tried to think of better ways to express that, but nothing is exactly the same.
What I hate is the trend of making nouns into verbs. Especially this latest one: "The Ask".
What happened to "request" or "demand"? Have to dumb it down to the verb "Ask"?
Corporate-speak the most annoying of all. I think they started the noun-to-verb.
Also, an ex-boss used to say "The Sweet Spot" and I would just cringe.
Starting a conversation with "I mean. . ." Isn't it assumed that what comes out of your mouth is what you mean to say?
I have a SIL that ends a lot of sentences with "and that."
Mom still talked about a high school teacher she had who said "In that respect" too frequently.
Verbal tics. To me they seem to be used to indicate a more credible level of speech that the speaker doesn't, for some reason, presently have the ability to communicate.
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At least mine doesn't, ya know? At the end of the day, I just need a few extra seconds, like, to gather my thoughts and then I'm all... okay. Don't get me wrong. I like spicy meatballs but I can't, like, have them every day. But I digress. We were talking about your grandma being in the hospital. 
