Why do images make the chat have a text message limit?

If I create a chat in ChatGPT app and start sending messages, eventually, it will switch to a weaker model if I send enough messages, but will never stop accepting messages.

If I upload an image to the same chat, and then keep using text messages, eventually, I will be limited and will have to wait hours before I can use the chat again.

The message says the chat has images, so I need to wait.

OpenAI uses a limit to how many files a user can send, but has no limits on how many text messages can be sent.

The question is: Why is the file limit triggered when I have sent a file or files, but days have passed and now I use the chat for text messages only?

Uploading even a single file alters the chat forever and the limit is always triggered and you need to wait hours before you can use the chat again, even if you no longer send files.