My grandmother drank like a fish and ultimately killed herself. I was 11 and everyone in my family told me that I was too young to understand. They called her a manic depressive. After I was diagnosed and began to learn about bipolar symptoms it was clear that she had bipolar and, unfortunately, had no help. My grandfather simply coped and as a result completely ignored my father and aunt, who grew up with their own PTSD issues. Looking further into the family history, it seems that others had 'different' behavior.

I'm sorry you did not get to know your great aunt. My family too refused to discuss anything about my grandmother until I forced the issue with my own symptoms. Getting families to open up about these things is so difficult. In past generations it was so misunderstood.