Lightroom 6.3.1 update made lightroom nearly unusable.

I’m going crazy with Lightroom lately. Feel like each time there is an upgrade, it brings a whole new set of problems.

I’m using OS, on Mac Studio, Ventura 13.0

few days ago lightroom auto updated to Lightroom 6.3.1

Since it updated, it has become agonizingly slow. it takes 5 minutes to load in previews (whereas it was immediate before). Sometimes it doesnt even load in the preview images and i need to quit and open again in order for them to appear.

Now when i try to export a photos to use it takes anywhere from a minute to 5 minutes, where as it was almost instantaneously before

Tried to use the merge HDR feature, but when i select this feature, it does nothing. doesnt matter if i use shortcut on keyboard or with mouse on the menu. it registers me hitting the Merge button, but no prompt comes up.

Same goes for the Panorama feature.

I am fed up with Lightroom. i’ve had nothing but trouble with it. Last year lightroom crashed and the directory got corrupted and i lost all the organizing of my photos, as well as the edits. I honestly feel like Lightroom is more of a liability to my library of images and edits than a benefit.

Posting in hope that maybe there is some glaring error that i am missing? has anyone else been having numerous problems regardless of the version?