I am replying as an Anglican and therefore my own experience but for me this really varies. Sometimes its an invisible straight away or almost never in that not always that buzz to it. I had a tough confession myself yesterday through what he was saying to me were things that I didn’t quite want to hear but I do acknowledge that and I freerly admit (even to the priest) I do use confession different to any RC’s never mind we anglicans that go to it, and that priest has a lot more to go on me than the average anglican penitant and between all that I did need to hear and they were questions rather than telling me, but between it all, and well and I think that yes the sin part is forgiven and he kept telling me or at least that God loves us, ‘you’ as ‘you’ are and don’t need to be someone I am not… Sometimes we look too much into something and can’t see the obvious because we are too busy searching? But please, try not to focus on that cleared mind feeling because that in return will send you searching more and more for it. It don’t always happen for me and sometimes I think it more to do with that sometimes get that what I call, ‘feels like going to the dentist feeling’ so when come out there is relief it wasn’t too bad. I didn’t get that dentist feeling yesterday so I didn’t come out relieved. But God does love you and may be your clear relief feeling is in form of comfort rather than a buzz? Looking for something that isn’t there just confuses us more because we think it should be there and to be honest that isn’t helpful.
I know what you mean here. For me, I need to go home and do some heavy prayer. The penance the priest assigns is generally insufficient to give me that confidence and reassurance (note: that’s not what it’s intended for), so I like to supplement with additional penitential exercises, such as reciting the penitential psalms or praying the chaplet.
I never do. I feel humble and grateful for God’s mercy.