freezing

I am feeling the same pain.  I have had PSE since version 5 and I have used it for years.  You are right... I have 2022 and it freezes as well.  I am seriously reconsidering buying a new version.  I think I am going to ask for a guarantee that if I do purchase the new version and it freezes that I can get a refund.  I just don't want to learn a new system.  

Try this:

Restore default preferences
Preference settings control how Photoshop Elements Editor displays images, cursors, and transparencies, saves files, uses plug‑ins and scratch disks, and so on. If the application exhibits unexpected behavior, the preferences file could be damaged. You can restore all preferences to their defaults.

Note: Deleting the preferences file is an action that cannot be undone.

Do one of the following:

Press and hold Alt+Control+Shift (Mac: Option+Command+Shift) immediately after Photoshop Elements begins launching. Click Yes to delete the Adobe Photoshop Elements settings file.
Go to Edit > Preferences (Mac: Photoshop Elements > Preferences > General), click the Reset Preferences on next launch button, and then click OK. When you restart Adobe Photoshop Elements, all preferences are reset to default settings.
A new preferences file is created the next time you start Photoshop Elements Editor. For information on a specific preference option, search for the preference name in Help.

from here:

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop-elements/kb/preference-file-locations-photoshop-elements.html

What are the complete computer specs, including hard drives (how many, what kind, what is on each, what capacity, and how full)?

If NVIDIA graphics, make sure to use the latest Studio Driver from NVIDIA (NOT the Game Driver).