Stay healthy by learning self-defense

There's not much sense in working so hard to take care of yourself and live a healthy life if you can't protect yourself from a thug in the street, right? As cities get bigger and the population grows so does the number of criminals, which means that anymore self defense is a real necessity.

Here's a great article on the basics of self-defense, plus some tips on finding a good class in your area. There are different ways the concept can be approached and taught, but many see it as breaking down into four basic areas (CAAP):

• Confidence
• Awareness
• Avoidance
• Preparation

I've never taken a class but am interested in doing it. Do you think it's worth it really? Has anybody out there ever actually had to use their self-defense skills?