IPhone 4 :: Texts / IMessages Won't Send - Conversations Are Gone

I have an iPhone 4 (up to date) Â

Frequently, my texts and imessages won't send, the little sending bar stops a little before the end. So I close my messaging app and reopen it to find all the spaces where my text conversations are now replaced with blank spaces. After a few seconds, the "write new message" window opens, and I am able to choose a contact to send to and type a message but the send button doesn't work.

Closing and reopening the app again makes no change. In addition, photos are also blurred, and completely freeze the screen when I tap them. So far my only temporary solution has been to do a reset by holding the home and power buttons, but it only lasts a short while (10 minutes?) before the above problem repeats itself. I am becoming very tired of restarting my phone, and even after restarting, the conflict is not always resolved. I have thought about getting a new phone, although mine is only a year and a half old, but I fear the problem will carry over onto a new phone if perhaps the issue is too many photos and messages?

Info:
iPhone 4, iOS 7.1.2,