Photoshop CS4 is non responsive when I try to use my type tool (error message). Who can help?

Everytime I click the text tool, it goes nonresponsive, then the annoying 'Photoshop CS4' has encountered an error and needs to close' popup comes up. I'm on a mac runnin OSX Snow Leopard and using CS4 Photoshop. How can I get around this without drudging through the Adobe help line?