Opening up Photoshop for the first time can quickly put off any budding graphic artist.
So... many ... buttons!

Photoshop has some good walkthroughs, but the only way you will learn to effectively use Photoshop is to start  doing some eye candy tutorials. This introduces you to some cool tools, good design methods and leaves you less intimidated by the software.

Heres one I did:

Its a simple but effective effect. Learn to do these with your eyes closed and you'll soon be talking Klingon to the untrained ear!
Bevels this, Channels that, Gaussian blur, BRU!  O_O

Find this tutorial and other on this great site:
www.phong.com