Kitchen Faucet Problems

I went to bed last night - sink was NOT a problem. I awoke, went to make coffee and water was shooting higher than my clock on the wall behind the sink! I took the faucet off, looked at it and it appeared fine - put back together.

It's still leaking but not shooting straight up in the air - it's hard to move the spicket back and forth - it's tight - and I have to keep tightening it every time I move it because it will loosen when moved. I'm doing something wrong and not sure what. Do I need to simply get a new faucet OR can this be fixed easily? I'm looking for "how to" videos and still can't one to match my sink problem.

What a way to wake up -- water spraying all over and was fine before I went to sleep. I just don't understand this. It's funny but not funny... don't know to laugh or cry right now.. hahaa.

Would a washer fix this simply or not? I don't know what to do.

  I keep getting the same results - I take it apart, try putting it back together and it still leaks badly at the base. I've got to be doing something wrong I just don't know what.