Jada Pinkett Smith is getting philosophical with age and revealing that she previously struggled with addiction. The actress and wife of megastar Will Smith turned 42 on Sept. 18, prompting her to reflect on where she's been and where she is now. "What I learned about myself is this, when I was younger I was not a good problem solver, meaning I had a very difficult time with dealing with my problems in life," she wrote on her Facebook page. I had many addictions, of several kinds, to deal with my life issues, but today, at 42, I have my wisdom, my heart and my conscience as the only tools to overcome life's inevitable obstacles. The "Hawthorne" actress did not elaborate on what kinds of addictions she struggled with but emphasized how she overcame them. "I have become a good problem solver with those tools, and I am damn proud," she said, adding, "Thank you for all the love that was given to me for my birthday this year. What I hope is that we all continue to gain healthy understanding that life is really about, solving problems, and also about us learning to become masters at solving them. She and her husband fought off rumors of a marital separation back in the summer of 2011 and earlier this year addressed additional impending divorce and "open marriage" stories, especially when her husband was back in the spotlight with son Jaden for their sci-fi flick "After Earth." On Sunday, she shared her "humble thoughts" in a Facebook note about a friend who told her he or she was planning to get a divorce. Pinkett Smith, who has previously been linked to a school affiliated with the controversial Church of Scientology, encouraged the friend in the note to give the marriage a bit of space instead, saying that in the past few years she observed "our elders" who "stumbled upon inevitably difficult moments that called for a break." Pinkett Smith has been married for 16 years and said that she had been meeting with the elders for the last five years "to get understanding from many perspectives as to what marriage and love is all about." This coming after she said that rumors of an open marriage have always dogged her relationship. The mother of two instead urged the friend to "consider taking the route that some of our elders have taken in giving your marriage some space and time before the drastic decision of divorce. Answers to big questions need time to find lasting truth vs the truth of the moment. After this process the answer may be the same, but at least you will have the clarity to go about it all with certainty and integrity, but you may also find that spark that could save and rekindle your marriage. Perhaps she's done the same? Jon Hamm to undergo surgery to remove vocal chord polyp