San Francisco 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith has revealed that he is making progress in his recovery from personal problems that have ruled him out of action for the past five weeks.

The 49ers placed Smith on the non-football injury list following their defeat to the Indianapolis Colts, but after undergoing treatment for his problems the team activated him back to the roster last week.

When asked what his priorities on his return were, Smith told reporters: "Making sure this doesn't happen again. It's been a process since I left. I'm getting there. Every day is a step closer to where I want to be.

"I've gotten a lot of support, from my family, friends, the organisation, teammates and everything. It really says a lot that people care about me outside the field, that they care about me as a person.

"We could all look into our lives and find something that we need to work on. I've taken my time and I've done that."

Jim Harbaugh's side are 6-2 in their season going into week 10.