Why can't I open images on Messages?

I am currently trying to send a GIF to someone. When I click on #images, the app freezes and the whole menu that holds Photos to Message Effects is stuck on my screen for a long time until it magically disappears. I tried with Photos as well and it does the same thing. I will try to restart my computer to see if it will fix it. When I try to take a screenshot, the menu goes away. Is it just me?

Side note: iCloud needs to sync faster. All my messages on my iPhone do not appear on my MacBook until I force sync both devices.

[Re-Titled by Moderator]