Like, I Like Hate This, Like Habit

Where in the world did this habit of using the word LIKE as a pause in communicating originate? I find it so incredibly annoying!

Do people ever hear the way they sound when they learn the habit of speaking this way? The other day I was having brunch in a cafe in Toronto where there were 5 women in their early 20's all trying to speak at the same time over breakfast and each of them was using this LIKE word at least 4 or 5 times in each sentence!

I was thinking, LIKE, please, LIKE, stop using LIKE after almost every word, it's LIKE so, LIKE irritating. OOPS, it's LIKE contagious!